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Southern  Branch 
of  the 

University  of  California 


Los  Angeles 


Form  L   1 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 

2  4  1925 
3  \92ij 


Z. 


LD 


Form  L-9-15»n-8/24 


CRAMPTON'S  HYGIENE  SERIES 


BY 
WILLIAM    H.    TOLMAN,    PH.D. 

DIRECTOR,    AMERICAN  MUSEUM  OF  SAFETY,   NEW  YORK  CITY 


DEPARTMENT  OF  RESEARCH,   AMERICAN   MUSEUM  OF  SAFETY 

2.  V  2<2  £> 
EDITED    BY 

C.    WARD    CRAMPTON,    M.D. 

DIRECTOR  OF  PHYSICAL  TRAINING,  DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION 
NEW  YORK  CITY 


NEW    YORK.  •:•  CINCINNATI  •:•  CHICAGO 

AMERICAN     BOOK    COMPANY 


COPYRIGHT,  1912,  BY 
C.  WARD  CRAMPTON. 

COPYRIGHT,  1912,  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN. 
HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER. 

W.  P.      I 


78-7 


PREFACE   TO    THE   SERIES 

THE  teaching  of  hygiene  fails  when  it  is  founded  upon 
the  assumption  that  a  knowledge  of  anatomy  is  necessary  ; 
it  succeeds  when  it  uses  the  ever-recurring  affairs  of  daily 
life  as  the  subject  matter,  and  endeavors  to  regulate  those 
affairs  correctly.  It  should  deal  with  the  establishing  of 
good  habits,  not  with  the  learning  of  abstruse  facts,  and 
should  seek  to  insure  the  carrying  into  practice,  instruc- 
tions given  in  the  classroom.  In  following  out  these 
principles,  the  teacher  will  make  a  daily  inspection  of 
hands  rather  than  require  that  a  composition  be  written 
upon  the  structure  of  the  skin  and  the  anatomical  effects 
of  dirt. 

To  support  this  kind  of  teaching  this  series  of  books  on 
Hygiene  has  been  prepared.  A  book  is  provided  for  each 
elementary  school  year  from  the  Fourth  to  the  Eighth 
inclusive ;  in  addition  there  is,  for  older  girls,  a  hygiene 
dealing  particularly  with  the  care  of  little  children  and  the 
health  factors  of  home  life,  and,  for  the  older  elementary 
children  and  for  vocational  and  industrial  high  schools,  a 
Hygiene  for  the  Worker. 

Each  of  these  books  is  based  upon  daily  hygienic  routine 
and  the  hygienic  inspection  which  should  begin  the  day's 
work  in  every  school  every  day.  In  addition,  the  general 
topics,  such  as  clothing,  food,  and  exercise,  assigned  to  the 
year's  work,  are  treated  in  relation  to  alcohol  and  tobacco, 
anti-tuberculosis  measures,  home  hygiene,  and  the  particu- 
lar necessities  of  cold  and  hot  weather. 


iv  PREFACE  TO  THE  SERIES 

The  editor  has  spared  no  effort  to  obtain  the  services  of 
those  who  really  know  the  facts,  and  some  of  the  writers 
have  international  reputation  in  the  subjects  with  which 
they  deal.  Nevertheless,  each  manuscript  has  been  sub- 
jected to  repeated  revision  by  prominent  physicians  and 
school  men  and  women.  For  hygienic  reasons,  no  half- 
tone illustrations  have  been  used,  and  the  specially  pre- 
pared drawings  aim  to  tell  the  story  concisely.  Emphasis 
is  placed  upon  the  positive  constructive  aspect  of  the  illus- 
tration, and  pictures  of  the  distressing  and  disagreeable  are 
not  to  be  found.  The  books  are  short  and  emphatic  in 
essentials,  recurring  frequently  to  important  points,  and 
no  effort  is  made  to  exhaust  the  subject. 

It  has  been  the  editor's  endeavor,  one  which  the  authors 
and  publishers  have  strongly  seconded,  to  provide  a  series 
of  books  adapted  directly  to  the  getting  of  results. 

c.  w.  c. 


PREFACE   TO    HYGIENE    FOR   THE 
WORKER 

IN  preparing  this  volume  the  author  has  had  access  to 
the  large  collection  of  working  models,  special  reports, 
and  photographs  of  the  American  Museum  of  Safety,  and 
to  the  collections  and  exhibits  of  the  International  Expo- 
sition of  Hygiene  at  Dresden  in  1911. 

Acknowledgment  is  made  to  Directors  Hartmann, 
Karsch,  and  Mamy,  of  the  Museums  of  Safety  in  Berlin, 
Munich,  and  Paris  respectively,  for  their  many  helpful 
suggestions.  Special  acknowledgment  is  due  to  Mr.  John 
H.  Patterson  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  for  his  kindness  in  placing 
his  unique  collection  of  several  thousands  of  photographs 
at  our  disposal  for  the  purpose  of  selecting  the  most  strik- 
ing examples  of  what  is  being  done  for  safety  and  in- 
dustrial hygiene  in  the  best  American  shop  practice. 

The  book  is  based  upon  actual  shop  conditions  and  en- 
deavors to  set  forth  in  a  practical  way  matters  of  most 
importance  to  good  health,  happiness,  and  efficiency. 

W.  H.  T. 
EDITOR'S   NOTE 

This  book,  the  second  volume  of  a  two-book  elementary 
school  series,  is  designed  for  boys  and  girls  from  thirteen  to 
eighteen  years  of  age,  for  special  classes  preparing  to  pass 
examinations  for  labor  certificates,  and  for  vocational, 
industrial,  and  manual  training  high  schools.  It  will  be 
particularly  useful  in  continuation  and  night  schools,  for 
it  is  adapted  to  the  needs  of  all  workers,  old  and  young. 


vi        PREFACE  TO  HYGIENE   FOR   THE  WORKER 

Prepared  upon  the  plan  formulated  by  the  editor,  this 
book  is  written  by  an  expert  of  international  reputation  in 
industrial  hygiene.  Its  facts  have  been  verified  by  sound 
medical  authority,  and  its  method  approved  by  teachers  of 
experience. 

To  equip  the  worker  to  care  for  himself  under  actual 
working  conditions  as  they  exist  to-day  and  to  add  to  his 
happiness  and  efficiency  are  the  two  purposes  of  the  book. 

c.  w.  c. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    APPLYING  FOR  A  POSITION i 

II.     PREPARING  FOR  THE  DAY'S  WORK      .        .        .        .  9 

III.  GOOD  HABITS  FOR  THE  WORKER        .        .        .        .18 

IV.  SUITABLE  CLOTHING 29 

V      FOOD  AND  DRINK -39 

VI.     ALCOHOL  AND  TOBACCO       .        .        .        .  -S3 

VII.    THE  NOON  HOUR 63 

VIII.     HYGIENE  OF  THE  WORKROOM 73 

IX.     FATIGUE 89 

X.     AFTER  HOURS 102 

XI.     HOLIDAYS  AND  OUTINGS 116 

XII.    CHOICE  OF  AN  OCCUPATION 127 

XIII.  OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:  ACCIDENTS         .        .        .  136 

XIV.  OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:  POISONS  AND  FUMES.        .  153 
XV.     FIRE .  167 

XVI.  FIRST  Am  TO  THE  INJURED 177 

XVII.  WHAT  THE  WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT  .  190 

XVIII.  SEASONAL  HYGIENE 204 

XIX.     TUBERCULOSIS 213 

APPENDIX 223 

INDEX 227 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


CHAPTER  I 
2.  V2-0  fc 
APPLYING  FOR  A  POSITION 


About  to  go  to  work.  —  The 

boy  or  girl  about  to  go  to  work 
has  reached  one  of  the  most 
important  turning  points  in 
life. 

If  he  has  finished  the  ele- 
mentary school  course,  he 
will  be  able  to  meet  most  of 
the  demands  of  ordinary  busi- 
ness life.  If  he  is  fortunate 


At  school 

enough  to  have  completed  a 
high  school  training,  he  will  find 
that  he  possesses  an  equipment 
that  will  overcome  many  an  ob- 
stacle in  the  way  of  success. 

Some  of  you  have  been  looking 
forward  to  this  event,  eager  to 
know  and  to  enjoy  the  in- 
dependence that  comes  only 


At  work 


2  HYGIENE   FOR  THE   WORKER 

through  the  honest  earning  of  your  "  bread  and  butter." 
Others,  perhaps  through  necessity  rather  than  choice,  are 
about  to  enter  the  business  world,  with  little  realization 
of  the  trials  and  responsibilities  to  be  met.  But  the 
overcoming  of  these  new  trials  and  the  acceptance  of 
these  responsibilities  will  afford  one  of  the  most  enduring 
satisfactions  of  life. 

Now  that  you  are  about  to  leave  your  school  days  and 
the  more  or  less  irresponsible  period  of  life,  you  must  take 
stock  of  yourself  —  as  it  were  —  to  see  what  you  have  to 
offer  in  fair  exchange  for  your  first  position. 

An  opening  is  learned  of,  perhaps  through  a  friend  who 
knows  of  a  vacancy,  or  through  an  advertisement.  You 
decide  to  apply  for  that  position.  Now,  how  do  you  think 
you  should  go  about  it?  When  you  present  yourself  for 
a  position,  bear  in  mind  that  you  will  be  closely  scrutinized 
by  the  man  who  may  become  your  employer. 

The  employer's  inspection.  —  Remember  that  the  man, 
or  firm,  employing  one  or  two,  a  dozen,  a  hundred,  per- 
haps thousands  of  employees,  has  had  a  great  deal  of  ex- 
perience in  judging  the  character  and  possibilities  of  those 
who  apply  for  work.  The  employer,  naturally,  must  have 
his  own  interests  at  heart  in  engaging  a  boy  or  girl  to  work 
for  him.  He  does  not  know,  of  course,  what  you  can  do, 
but  he  is  able,  from  his  business  experience,  to  "  size  you 
up  "  and  to  form  a  pretty  true  estimate  of  what  you  may 
do  or  may  be  trained  to  do. 

Manner  and  appearance.  —  An  employer  is  always  ready 
to  consider  the  application  of  a  boy  or  girl  who  comes  to 
him  with  self-confident  bearing.  This,  however,  must  not 
be  taken  to  mean  boldness  or  forwardness. 


APPLYING  FOR  A  POSITION 


He  will  pay  more  attention  to  the  applicant  whose  person 
shows  the  unmistakable  signs  of  cleanliness,  than  he  will  to 
him  whose  appearance  is  slovenly  and  untidy.  He  will 
choose  the  boy  or  girl  who  is  neatly  and  plainly  dressed,  in 
preference  to  the  one  who  comes  to  him  in  showy,  elaborate 
garments,  thinking  he  is  making  a  good  impression. 

The  employer  reasons  in  this  way  :  — 

"  If  the  person  I  want  for  this  job  is  clean  and  neat  and 
self-reliant,  I  may  be  sure  that  his  morals  and  methods  of 
work  are  equally  clean  and  straightforward.  His  personal 
appearance  tells  me 
he  will  have  the  same 
respect  for  his  work 
that  he  has  for  him- 
self." 

Neatness  of  appear- 
ance is  a  more  impor- 
tant business  asset 
than  most  boys  and 
girls  realize. 

For  example,  a  pro- 
fessional man  who  has 
had  a  wide  experience 
in  meeting  all  classes 

and      Conditions    Of  The  employer's  inspection 

people,  recently  made  the  statement  that,  under  no  circum- 
stances, would  he  employ  in  his  office  a  young  person  who 
came  to  him  with  unclean  finger  nails. 

It  will  not  be  a  difficult  matter  for  you  to  have  confidence 
in  yourself,  or  to  show  it  in  your  carriage  and  bearing,  if 
you  carry  about  with  you  a  clean,  healthy  body  ;  and  such 


4  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

a  condition  of  wholesomeness  is  within  the  reach  of  all. 
The  confidence  which  comes  from  a  knowledge  of  one's 
own  efficiency,  backed  up  by  good  health,  is  easily  dis- 
tinguished from  the  self-assurance  of  one  who  is  too  lazy 
to  keep  well. 

The  daily  inspection.  —  The  only  way  to  be  sure  that 
you  will  make  a  good  impression  under  the  inspection  of 
the  employer,  is  for  you  to  inspect  yourself  critically  before 
you  apply  for  the  position.  The  only  way  for  you  to  be 
sure  that  you  overlook  nothing  is  to  get  in  the  habit  of 
making  such  an  inspection  from  top  to  toe  every  day 
before  you  leave  home. 

Hair.  —  Most  boys  and  girls,  ordinarily,  do  not  value  or 
pay  sufficient  attention  to  the  little  things  that  go  to  make 
up  a  good  appearance. 

Take  the  hair,  for  instance.  If  you  want  to  make  a 
good  impression,  don't  apply  for  a  position  with  your  scalp 
and  hair  so  unclean  as  to  be  offensive. 

It  has  now  become  the  rule,  in  certain  large  offices,  to 
draw  the  line  against  the  girls  and  young  women  whose 
hair  is  fantastically  arranged  in  the  extreme  of  style.  Elab- 
orate head  dressings  suggest  to  the  employer  a  certain 
vanity,  self-consciousness,  and  frivolity  that  render  a  girl 
unable  to  put  her  mind  seriously  upon  her  work. 

Clothing.  —  Here  also  should  be  mentioned  the  impro- 
priety of  wearing,  during  business,  clothing  that  seems 
suitable  only  for  evening  or  home  use.  The  type  of  waist 
known  as  the  lingerie  is  one  that  the  business  girl  should 
not  wear  in  the  office.  It  is  neither  sensible  nor  dignified. 
Nor  is  it  an  economy,  for  on  account  of  its  sheerness  it 
requires  greater  care  and  expense  in  laundering ;  hence,  it 


APPLYING   FOR  A  POSITION  5 

is  seldom  washed  as  frequently  as  it  should  be.  There  is 
nothing  more  distasteful  to  the  average  business  man  than 
unclean  finery. 

Boys  and  girls  both  are  inclined  to  run  to  extremes  of  style 
in  their  dress,  usually  preferring  garments  that  are  of  the  most 
up-to-date  cut  and  shape  to  those  of  more  modest  appear- 
ance, which  are  generally  found  to  be  made  better  and 
of  more  enduring  materials.  This  is  equally  true  of  hats 
and  shoes.  An  employer  will  probably  notice  whether  you 
are  wearing  elaborately  cut  and  high-heeled  shoes,  run 
down,  unbrushed,  and  with  broken  laces,  or  whether  your 
feet  are  shod  in  sensible,  well-fitting  shoes,  kept  clean 
and  neat. 

It  is  well  for  the  boy  and  girl  about  to  become  wage 
earners  to  remember,  in  buying  their  clothing,  the  counsel 
of  old  Polonius  to  his  son :  — 

"  Costly  thy  habit  as  thy  purse  can  buy, 
But  not  expressed  in  fancy." 

Cleanliness.  —  Do  not  think  there  is  any  substitute  for 
cleanliness  of  body.  It  is  foolish  to  think  that  the  neglect 
of  the  body  can  be  long  concealed.  A  famous  physician 
once  said  that,  as  he  walked  along  a  busy  city  street,  he 
could  always  pick  out  those  persons  who  bathed  daily.  To 
his  trained  eye,  the  condition  of  the  skin,  the  complexion, 
and  a  certain  alertness  in  the  carriage  of  the  body,  bore 
testimony  to  the  habits  of  the  individual. 

Do  not  get  the  bad  habit  of  loading  the  body  with  cheap 
perfumes,  expecting  them  to  take  the  place  of  a  bath.  As 
one  man,  who  has  met  all  varieties  of  human  nature  in  his 
business  experience,  puts  it,  "  I  instinctively  distrust  the 


6  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

person  whose  body  reeks  with  the  odor  of  cheap  perfumes  ; 
it  seems  to  me  like  an  endeavor  to  conceal  uncleanliness." 

This  may  apply  more  to  girls,  but  it  is  equally  true  that 
an  employer  is  prejudiced  against  the  boy  or  young  man 
who  comes  to  him  smelling  strongly  of  tobacco,  particularly 
of  cigarettes.  The  cigarettist  is  seldom  a  success  in  the 
business  world,  and,  at  the  outset,  he  will  learn  that  the 
best  positions  are  open  to  the  boys  who  do  not  use  tobacco. 

So  small  a  thing  as  chewing  gum  may  also  stand  in  the 
way  of  your  securing  the  position  you  want.  It  is  just  as 
well  to  stop  such  foolish  habits  and  to  avoid  all  these  hin- 
drances now,  so  that  they  will  not  interfere  with  your  success 
later  on  or  cause  you  to  wonder  why  "  the  good  jobs  are  so 
scarce." 

But  even  more  important  than  these  requisites  is  that  of 
good  health. 

Importance  of  good  health.  —  Good  health  is  a  prime 
factor  in  success.  Not  only  will  it  help  you  to  secure  a 
good  position,  but  it  will  enable  you  to  keep  it  and  to  do 
your  work  well,  without  undue  fatigue  and  exhaustion.  It 
will  enable  you  also  to  do  your  work  with  a  greater  degree 
of  interest  and  pleasure. 

Good  health  is  at  once  apparent  in  the  carriage  and  posture 
of  the  body,  in  clear  eyes  and  clean  complexion,  in  a  quick- 
ness of  thought  and  general  alertness,  and  in  steadiness  of 
nerves. 

If  you  are  not  now  enjoying  the  measure  of  good  health 
you  should  have,  it  is  within  your  power  to  attain  and 
keep  it. 

Later,  we  shall  offer  suggestions  for  hygiene  and  right 
living  that  will,  if  faithfully  followed,  put  your  body  in  the 


APPLYING   FOR  A  POSITION  7 

best  possible  condition  for  meeting  the  demands  of  a  work- 
ing day. 

You  cannot  afford  to  be  ill,  when  once  you  become  a 
worker,  for  even  if  you  do  not  actually  lose  your  position 
through  irregular  attendance  due  to  sickness,  you  will  prob- 
ably suffer  a  loss  in  wages ;  and,  once  you  have  been  initi- 
ated into  the  joy  of  pay  day,  with  the  wages  of  faithful 
work  in  your  pay  envelope,  you  will  not  wish  to  lose  any  of 
the  substantial  benefits  of  good  health. 

Cheerfulness.  —  We  might,  with  profit,  dwell  upon  the 
cheerful  disposition  that  usually  goes  with  a  healthy  body. 
We  all  prefer  those  friends  who  are  cheerful  and  amiable. 
Isn't  it  just  as  probable  that  an  employer  will  pick  out  the 
pleasant-faced,  cheerful  boy  or  girl  to  work  for  him,  in 
preference  to  one  whose  expression  is  sour  and  gloomy 
and  whose  manner  is  short  and  surly  ? 

Good  health  is  indeed  the  greatest  asset  of  the  boy  or  girl 
who  is  about  to  go  to  work ;  for  good  health  enables  him  to 
do  better  and  more  useful  work,  and  this,  in  turn,  leads  to 
greater  happiness  and  success. 

THE   MORNING   INSPECTION 

1.  Hair.  —  Is  it  well  brushed,  well  ordered,  not  greasy? 

For  girls  —  neatly  and  securely  bound  up,  without 
any  extreme  in  fashion? 

2.  Face,    Neck,    Ears,    Nost. —  Clean?     For   girls  —  the 

skin  should  not  be  shiny  or  show  any  evidence  of 
powder. 

3.  Eyes. — Are  they  red  or  inflamed?     Is  there  dirt  or 

matter  in  the  corner? 


8  HYGIENE  FOR   THE  WORKER 

4.  Hands.  —  Clean  ?     Finger  nails  clean,  trimmed,  skin 

pushed  back  ? 

5.  Cottar,  Cuffs,  Shirt.  —  Clean? 

6.  Tie.  —  Well  tied  and  neat  ? 

7.  Clotlies.  —  Clean,  no  spots,  not  mussed,  well  brushed, 

no  buttons  missing  ?     Pockets  clean  and  nothing  su- 
perfluous in  them  ? 

8.  Clean  handkerchief. 

9.  Shoes.  —  Brushed,  laces  not  frayed  or  knotted  ? 

10.  Are  you  starting  the  day  with  good  posture?  Have 
you  clean  skin,  clean  underclothes?  Have  you 
cleaned  the  intestinal  tract  of  accumulated  waste? 
Have  you  had  enough  sleep  in  good  fresh  air  ? 


CHAPTER  II 


PREPARING  FOR  THE  DAY'S  WORK 

Getting  out  of  bed.  —  Have  a  regular  hour  for  rising  and 
stick  to  it.  Start  the  day  on  schedule  time  without  bor- 
rowing or  losing  a  minute.  It  sounds  easy,  but  all  of  us 
know  how  very  difficult  it  is  to  leave  our  comfortable  beds 
at  an  early  hour,  especially  on  cold,  dark  winter  mornings. 

It  really  requires  a  great  deal  of  will  power  to  force  one's 
self  out  of  bed  —  no  matter  how  one  feels  —  at  the  same  hour 
every  day,  summer  and  winter,  in 
fair  or  boisterous  weather ;  but  the 
good  results  of  this  self-discipline 
are  beyond  calculation. 

There  is  always  much  to  be 
gained  from  systematic  habits  of 
living,  because  to  do  the  same 
thing  in  the  same  way,  over  and 
over  again,  relieves  the  brain  of  a 
lot  of  unnecessary  thinking  about 
what  must  be  done.  In  this  way,  much  time  as  well  as 
nervous  energy  can  be  saved. 

How  long  to  sleep.  —  After  experimenting  a  little  in  the 
matter,  one  realizes  that  it  is  easier  to  rise  at  the  regular 
hour  every  morning,  if  the  body  has  had  sufficient  sleep. 
In  other  words,  we  commence  the  day  right  by  going  to 
bed  right  the  night  before  and  sleeping  with  the  fresh 

9 


'Get  up! " 


10 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


air  from  the  open  windows  invigorating  the  body  for  the 
next  day. 

The  time  needed  by  the  human  machine  for  rest  and 
repair  varies  according  to  the  individual.  Eight  hours  of 
sleep  are  required  by  the  average  person,  but  the  nervous, 
highly  strung  people  usually  need  more  than  this,  and  ten 
hours  asleep  are  well  spent. 

If  one  has  rested  comfortably  during  the  night,  breathing 
in  plenty  of  pure,  fresh  air,  he  will  rise  refreshed  by  his  sleep 
and  ready  for  the  day's  work.  That  well-known  condition 
referred  to  as  "  getting  out  of  the  wrong  side  of  the  bed  "  is 
always  responsible  for  the  fatiguing? 
unsuccessful  day  that  follows  ;  but  it 
is  a  physical  rather  than  a  mental  con- 
dition. 

Let  us  be  charitable  enough  to  be- 
lieve that  the  "  grouch  "  is  the  inevi- 
table result  of  wrong  habits  of  living, 
which  can  and  should  be  made  over, 
if  the  individual  is  to  enjoy  success 
and  happiness  in  his  work. 

Exercises.  —  Having    jumped    out 
of  bed,  close  the  windows  and  begin 
your   exercises,   for   the    room    may 
be   cold   and   your   body  should  be 
in  a  glow  before  the  bath. 

i.  Place  the  hands  on  the  hips  and  bend  to  one  side,  then 
to  the  other,  a  little  at  first,  for  the  muscles  are 
still  sleepy.  Begin  by  doing  this  exercise  twelve 
times,  but  increase  gradually  till  you  are  doing  thirty 
vigorous  bendings  every  morning. 


Exercise 


PREPARING  FOR  THE  DAY'S  WORK 


II 


Exercise  2 


Exercise  3 


2.   Raise  the  arms  slowly  forward  and 
upward    as   high    as    you    can, 

rising  on  toes 

and  inhaling ; 

pause  a  mo- 
ment with  the 

chest  full  and 

exhale,  bring- 
ing the  arms 

slowly    down 

to    the    side. 

Ten    good 

breaths     is 

enough. 
;.  Next    clasp    the 

hands  behind  you  and  bend  the 
knees  so  that  your  --^ 

fingers  touch  the 
heels.  This  will  re- 
quire some  practice 
before  you  can 
keep  your  balance, 
but  it  exercises 
muscles  you  will 
hardly  use  all  day. 
Twenty  times  is 
enough. 

4.  Take  five  full  breaths 

just  as  described  in 
the  second  exercise. 

5.  Separate  the  feet  well  Exercise  s 


12  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

and  swing  the  arms  downward  and  under  as  far  as 
you  can,  then  rapidly  swing  them  up  and  over  the 
head,  bending  backward  as  far  as  you  dare,  then 
down  again,  counting  up  to  twenty  times.  Go  at 
this  exercise  gradually,  for  the  trunk  muscles  are 
often  the  weakest  of  the  whole  body. 
6.  If  troubled  with  constipation,  stand  as  straight  as  you 
can,  and  raise  the  knees  alternately  to  the  chest 
twenty  times. 

Now  your  blood  is  in  good  circulation  and  you  are  ready 
for  the  bath. 

Bathing.  —  Cleanliness  is  said  to  be  next  to  godliness, 
but  it  is  also  very  close  to  success,  if  we  accept  the  advice 
of  Benjamin  Franklin,  one  of  whose  rules  of  life  was  to 
"  tolerate  no  uncleanliness  in  body,  clothes,  or  habitation." 
Having  done  your  exercises,  the  next  thing  to  do  is  to 
give  the  human  machine  a  good  cleaning. 

The  skin  of  the  body  is  filled  with  millions  of  little 
glands  that  are  continually  secreting  waste  matter,  much 
the  same  as  that  cast  off  every  day  through  the  bowels  and 
kidneys.  It  is  evident,  then,  how  very  important  it  is  to 
keep  the  pores  of  the  skin  from  becoming  clogged  with 
the  poisonous  wastes  of  the  body,  as  they  are  when  we 
neglect  to  bathe  regularly. 

Every  man's  tonic.  —  If  you  haven't  the  time  or  the 
opportunity  to  get  into  the  tub  every  day,  then  be  sure  to 
sponge  off  the  body  and  give  it  a  good  rubbing  with  a  coarse 
towel  before  putting  on  your  clothing.  If  you  can  accus- 
tom yourself  to  it,  a  cold  bath  is  far  more  beneficial  than  a 
warm  one  in  the  morning,  for  it  stimulates  and  invigorates 
the  body,  puts  the  skin  in  a  glow,  improves  the  circulation, 


PREPARING  FOR  THE  DAY'S  WORK 


and  acts  as  a  safeguard  against  colds  and  other  diseases 
which  result  from  a  lowered  vitality.  A  cold  splash  on  the 
face,  neck,  and  chest  should  be  the  rule  for  even  the  most 
sensitive.  At  least  twice  a  week,  take  a  warm  bath,  using 
plenty  of  soap.  The  best 
time  for  it  is  just  before 
going  to  bed  at  night. 

Teeth.  —  The  mouth 
and  teeth  should  be  thor- 
oughly cleansed  every 
morning.  Wash  out  the 
mouth  and  gargle  the 
throat.  The  teeth  should 
be  well  brushed  with  a 
moderately  stiff  brush  and 
an  antiseptic  powder, 
paste,  or  liquid.  Spend 
most  of  your  effort  on  the 
places  you  cannot  see,  and 
brush  up  and  down,  as 
well  as  along  the  row  of 
teeth. 

Nose.  —  If  you  are  obliged  to  work  in  dusty  places,  the 
nose  should  be  washed,  morning  and  night,  with  warm  salt 
water,  a  half  teaspoonful  of  salt  to  a  cup  of  water.  If  you 
have  any  trouble  in  the  nasal  passages,  a  physician  will  tell 
you  how  to  use  a  nasal  douche.  But  it  is  a  simple  matter 
to  pour  into  the  nostrils  a  spoonful  or  so  of  clean  water  and 
blow  it  out  again.  Be  careful  not  to  swallow  while  you  are 
doing  so,  for  the  water  many  enter  the  passage  which  leads 
from  the  throat  to  the  ear  and  cause  serious  trouble. 


Good    teeth    and    happiness 
are  likely  to  go  together 


14  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

Dressing.  —  After  you  have  drunk  a  glass  of  water, 
dress  yourself  quickly  but  carefully.  Don't  dawdle  and 
don't  rush.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  brush  and  clean  your  clothes 
and  lay  them  out  at  night  so  that  you  can  put  your  hands  on 
them  at  once  in  the  morning  and  thus  lose  no  time  in  hunting 
out  a  clean  waist  or  shirt,  the  fresh  neckpiece,  or  the  missing 
collar  button.  To  be  obliged  to  stop  and  look  for  something, 
to  sew  on  a  button,  or  to  replace  a  broken  shoe  lace,  does  not 
help  in  "  starting  the  day  right." 

Brush  and  arrange  your  hair  before  you  put  on  your  coat 
or  waist,  as  it  certainly  detracts  from  a  tidy  appearance  to 
have  hairs  clinging  to  the  clothing. 

Be  sure  that  your  nails  are  trimmed  and  clean.  It  takes 
but  a  moment  to  do  this,  .but  the  moment's  care  will  add 
greatly  to  your  appearance,  as  well  as  to  your  self-respect. 
Before  leaving  the  house,  see  that  you  have  a  clean  hand- 
kerchief with  you. 

Wear  clothing  that  is  comfortable,  appropriate  for  the 
work  in  hand,  and  suited  to  the  weather.  While  your  work 
clothes  should  be  becoming  and  of  as  good  materials  as  you 
can  afford,  they  should  be  free  from  "  frills  "  and  eccen- 
tricities of  style.  The  question  of  clothing  suitable  for  cer- 
tain kinds  of  work  and  for  the  different  seasons  of  the  year 
will  be  taken  up  in  greater  detail  in  succeeding  chapters.  It 
is  sufficient  to  point  out  here  that  the  simpler  and  more 
businesslike  your  clothing  is,  the  more  quickly  you  can  get 
into  it  in  the  morning. 

Breakfast.  —  Breakfast  need  not  be  a  hurried  meal  with 
the  wage  earner.  It  is  better  to  eat  a  little  less  food  and 
chew  it  thoroughly  than  to  wash  down  quantities  of  half- 
chewed  food  with  coffee  and  tea,  which  cannot  be  digested 


PREPARING   FOR  THE  DAY'S  WORK  15 

readily  and  will  cause  trouble  later  on.  By  eating  slowly, 
even  the  coarsest  food  tastes  good ;  you  will  get  more  pleas- 
ure and  benefit  from  it ;  and  you  will  find  that  you  do  not 
need  so  much.  Stop  eating  as  soon  as  you  have  had  enough. 
No  one  can  say  how  much  another  should  eat,  as  it  is  not 
how  much  we  eat  but  how  much  we  assimilate  from  our  food 
that  makes  it  nourishing.  This  must  be  a  matter  of  in- 
dividual judgment,  although  we  know  that  most  of  us  eat 
entirely  too  much  and  that  intemperance  in  eating  causes 
much  illness. 

In  order  to  get  the  best  results  from  it,  it  is  important  that 
food  should  be  clean,  fresh,  and  nourishing.  This  does  not 
mean  that  it  must  be  expensive.  A  breakfast  of  fruit, 
cereal  and  milk,  with  bread  and  butter,  will  give  you  more 
energy  for  the  day,  and  do  you  more  good  than  a  meal  of 
meat  and  fried  potatoes  and  one  or  two  cups  of  muddy 
coffee.  Coffee  and  tea  are  only  whips,  and  have  no  food 
value  in  themselves,  except  in  the  sugar  and  milk  which  are 
usually  added  to  them. 

Water  and  milk  are  the  best  beverages,  although  the 
latter  should  really  be  considered  as  a  food. 

Rise  from  the  breakfast  table  clear-headed  and  feeling 
that  your  food  has  given  you  working  power,  rather  than 
heavy  and  stupid,  as  a  result  of  improper  eating. 

Going  to  work.  —  Try  to  get  away  after  breakfast  in  time 
to  avoid  rushing.  Too  violent  exercise,  like  running  to 
catch  a  car,  immediately  after  eating,  should  always  be 
avoided.  If  it  is  at  all  possible,  walk  to  your  work. 

The  most  beneficial  forms  of  exercise  are  those  that  can 
be  taken  in  the  open  air.  For  this  reason,  apart  from  out- 
door games  and  sports,  walking  is  at  once  the  best,  most 


i6 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


convenient,  and  cheapest  exercise  for  the  wage  earner.  If 
distance  or  the  weather  makes  walking  to  your  work  im- 
possible, you  should  certainly  get  out  of  doors  for  a  brisk 
walk  at  the  lunch  hour,  if  only  for  a  few  minutes.  If  you 
feel  chilly  or  cold  when  walking,  take  a  few  long,  deep 
breaths,  which  will  help  to  quicken  the  circulation  of  your 
blood  and  make  you  warm. 

Walk  with  your  head  high  and  your  chest  up,  with  the 
feeling  that  you  are  looking  the  world  in  the  face.     Nothing 


On  time  — and  better! 

will  so  quickly  drive  away  "  the  blues  "  on  a  bad  morning, 
or  increase  your  stock  of  courage  and  self-confidence. 

Make  it  the  rule  of  your  business  life  to  be  on  time.  Delays 
are  very  often  unavoidable,  especially  in  the  city,  where  the 
traffic  conditions  at  the  rush  hours  are  responsible  for  much 
loss  of  time  and,  sometimes,  of  temper.  But  it  is  much 
better  to  start  a  little  in  advance  of  the  actual  time  required 


PREPARING   FOR  THE  DAY'S   WORK  17 

for  the  trip  to  your  work,  than  to  run  the  risk  of  being  de- 
layed in  reaching  the  shop  or  office.  Always  make  up  any 
time  you  have  thus  lost  in  the  working  day,  by  coming  earlier 
the  next  morning,  by  "  docking  "  yourself  at  your  lunch 
hour,  or  by  staying  later  in  the  evening  —  anything  to  make 
yoilr  account  good,  whether  it  is  noticed  by  your  employers 
or  not.  It  is  the  "  keeping  square  "  with  yourself  that 
counts,  adds  to  your  self-respect,  and  enables  you  to  do 
honest  work,  the  kind  of  work  that  invariably  leads  to  real 
success. 

Habits  which  should  become  invariable.  —  Make  a 
placard  of  the  following  routine  and  hang  it  up  where  you 
can  see  it  every  morning :  — 

REGULAR   MORNING  ROUTINE 

1.  Have  a  set  time  for  rising  and  throw  the  bedclothes 

over  the  foot  of  the  bed  not  a  second  later. 

2.  Take  the  breathing  and  setting-up  exercises. 

3.  Cold  splash  on   the  face  and   chest   at   least;    then  a 

brisk  rub  with  a  rough  towel. 

4.  Clean   the  mouth;    brush   the   teeth,  get  into  all   the 

corners. 

5.  Drink  a  glass  of  water. 

6.  Visit  the  toilet  and  wash  the  hands  afterward. 

7.  Make    your   regular    inspection   of    your    appearance. 

(See  Chapter  I.) 

8.  "Work  well  begun  is  already  half  done." 


CHAPTER  III 

GOOD  HABITS  FOR  THE  WORKER 

Forming  good  habits.  —  The  importance  of  good  health 
and  a  neat  appearance  as  factors  in  success  cannot  be  over- 
estimated. In  a  general  way,  the  employer's  point  of  view 
in  selecting  his  work  people  has  been  considered,  but  for 
those  who  realize  that  an  improvement  in  health  and  per- 
sonal appearance  is  necessary  before  seeking  positions,  it 
will  be  well  to  put  into  practice  at  once  those  habits  of  care 
and  cleanliness  that  will  result  in  increased  efficiency  and 
self-respect.  Incidentally,  one  of  the  most  important 
habits  a  worker  can  form  is  the  use  of  good  English  and 
the  avoidance  of  slang. 

Hair.  —  Starting  with  the  hair,  which  is  at  once  a  pro- 
tection and  an  adornment,  we  notice  that  in  very  many 

cases  it  is  grossly 
neglected.  The  hair 
should  be  kept  clean 
and  well  brushed. 
The  brushing  is  im- 
portant, because  it 
brings  the  blood  to  the 
scalp  and  distributes 
over  the  hair  the  oil  that  is  secreted  at  its  roots.  This 
makes  the  hair  glossy  and  gives  it  a  good  appearance. 
The  oil,  however,  should  not  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the 

18 


GOOD  HABITS  FOR  THE  WORKER 


hair  and  scalp,  and  mix  with  the  dust  and  impurities  of  the 
house  and  street,  until  the  hair  becomes  heavy  and  greasy. 
It  should  be  thoroughly  washed  with  good  soap,  green  or 
castile,  at  least  once  a  month,  and  the  scalp  massaged  in 
order  to  remove  the 
dirt  and  scales  that 
may  be  clinging  to  it. 

Persons  whose  hair 
is  naturally  oily  can 
afford  to  wash  it  more 
frequently  than  can 
those  whose  hair  is 
light  and  dry,  for  the 
latter  condition  shows 
that  the  scalp  is  de- 
ficient in  the  natural 
oii.  Brushing  and 
massaging  the  scalp 
will  be  of  especial 
benefit  in  this  case  to 
increase  the  circula^ 
tion;  it  is  also  well  to 
rub  in  a  very  little 

pure    vaseline    occa-  washing  the 

sionally  at  the  roots,  but  not  in  such  quantities  as  to  make 
the  hair  greasy  and  sticky. 

Dandruff  may  be  cured  by  washing  the  scalp  and 
rubbing  in  thoroughly  a  little  thirty  per  cent  sulphur 
ointment. 

Avoid  wearing  very  heavy  hats  or  those  that  fit  too 
closely,  for  they  are  responsible  for  many  headaches  in 


SO  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

women;  while  tight,  unventilated  hats  cause  premature 
baldness  in  many  men. 

Eyes.  —  If  you  have  any  doubt  about  your  eyesight's 
being  of  normal  keenness  and  efficiency,  it  will  be  well  to 
consult  a  first-class  oculist  without  delay. 

If  you  are  obliged  to  strain  your  eyes  to  see  objects  clearly 
and  to  hold  your  book  uncomfortably  close  while  reading, 
or  if  you  suffer  from  blinding  headaches  and  nervousness 
resulting  from  eyestrain,  it  is  necessary  for  you  to  have 
glasses  fitted  to  your  eyes  to  correct  these  defects  of  vision. 

People  who  have  been  suffering  from  nervousness,  stom- 
ach disorders,  and  a  general  condition  of  poor  health,  fre- 
quently have  found  these  troubles  to  disappear  when  they 
have  been  fitted  with  proper  glasses. 

In  many  kinds  of  work  requiring  close  application  and 
accuracy,  it  is  extremely  important  that  the  vision  be  keen 
and  sure.  So  good  eyesight  becomes  a  commercial  asset  also. 

There  are  many  ways,  however,  in  which  the  eyes  can  be 
helped  while  working  or  reading.  The  importance  of  good 
light  in  the  workroom  will  be  discussed  later  on,  but  it  is 
well  to  suggest  here  that  one  should  never  attempt  to  read 
after  sundown  while  darkness  is  coming  on,  nor  face  a  very 
bright  light  while  reading  or  working.  Endeavor  to  have 
the  light  come  from  behind  and  above  you,  and,  for  writing, 
to  have  it  come  from  the  left  side.  Avoid  looking  directly 
at  artificial  lights,  as  these  put  a  great  strain  on  the  eyes. 
Occasionally  rest  the  eyes  while  working,  by  closing  them 
for  a  minute  or  two,  by  looking  out  of  the  window,  or  by 
focusing  them  on  some  distant  object. 

If  the  eyes  are  weak  and  inflamed  after  the  day's  work, 
it  is  well  to  cleanse  them  with  a  solution  of  boracic  acid,  - 


GOOD   HABITS  FOR   THE   WORKER 


21 


the  water  will  never  take  more  of  the  powder  than  it  can 
hold  in  solution.  Use  an  eyecup  for  this  purpose  and  have 
the  water  warm.> 

Later  on,  we  shall  discuss  the  spread  of  germ  diseases, 
including  those  of  the  eye,  through  the  use  of  the  public 
towel,  and  the  importance  of  guarding  ourselves  against 
this  danger. 

Teeth.  —  Good  teeth  and  a  clean  mouth  are  also  essen- 
tial to  the  success  of  the  wage  earner.  The  president  of  a 
large  steel  company  recently  made  the  statement  that, 
under  no  circumstances,  would  he  employ  a  young  man 
with  diseased  teeth. 

Unclean  and  decaying  teeth  seriously  affect  the  health  of 
the  worker,  for  they  serve  as  breeding  places  for  all  kinds  of 
bacteria  that  become  mixed  up  with  the  food  and  finally 


reach  the  stomach  and  intestines,  where  they  cause  fermen- 
tation and  lead  to  bodily  weakness,  if  not  to  actual  disease. 
In  addition  to  this  danger,  a  greater  burden  is  laid  upon 
the  digestive  organs,  when  the  food  is  not  properly  broken 
up  in  the  mouth  and  well  mixed  with  the  saliva  —  the  first 
and  perhaps  the  most  important  step  in  the  process  of  diges- 


22  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

tion.  This  can  be  done  only  by  thorough  mastication,  for 
which  good  teeth  are  necessary. 

Apart  from  the  wear  and  tear  of  a  lifetime  or  diseases 
that  have  weakened  them,  the  decay  of  the  teeth  is  pri- 
marily due  to  carelessness  and  uncleanliness.  The  mouth 
should  be  cleansed  and  the  gums  and  teeth  brushed  every 
time  they  are  used,  if  possible,  but  at  least  on  rising,  after 
breakfast,  and  before  going  to  bed.  Sticky  deposits  may 
be  removed  by  running  a  bit  of  silk  or  dental  floss  about 
and  between  the  teeth. 

When  a  tooth  begins  to  decay,  it  should  be  filled  at  once. 
As  we  are  not  always  able  to  determine  for  ourselves  when 
this  happens,  it  is  wise  to  visit  a  good  dentist  once  or  twice 
a  year.  Have  a  settled  time  for  doing  this  and  never  put 
it  off. 

Nose.  —  A  good  many  people  overlook  the  importance 
of  keeping  the  nasal  passages  clean  and  unobstructed.  If 
there  is  any  serious  obstruction  and  one  has  reason  to  believe 
that  he  is  suffering  from  adenoids  or  any  foreign  growth  in 
the  nose,  a  physician  should  be  consulted  and  the  obstacle  to 
proper  breathing  removed.  Mouth  breathing  usually  re- 
sults from  a  condition  of  catarrh  or  adenoids  and  seriously 
interferes  with  the  health  of  the  body. 

The  nose  has  several  important  functions  to  perform. 
As  the  organ  of  smell,  it  protects  the  body  from  inhaling 
impurities  in  the  air,  poisonous  fumes,  and  gases.  The 
muscles  of  respiration  begin  in  the  nostrils.  The  nose 
serves  to  warm  and  moisten  the  inhaled  air,  and  also  acts 
as  a  filter  to  prevent  germs  and  dust  from  passing  into  the 
throat  and  lungs.  We  must  breathe  through  the  nose  if  we 
would  breathe  properly  and  give  the  body  the  air  it  needs. 


GOOD   HABITS   FOR  THE  WORKER 


23 


Breathing.  —  The  majority  of  people,  especially  those  in 
cities,  have  never  learned  how  to  breathe  properly ;  their 
bodies  are  literally  starving  for  air.  The  special  office  of 
the  respiratory  organs  is  to  put  oxygen  into  the  blood  and 
to  keep  it  pure.  In  deep  breathing,  a  plentiful  supply  of 
oxygen  is  drawn  into  the  system,  and  the  thoroughly  ex- 
haled breath  keeps  the  bal- 
ance true  by  carrying  off  large 
quantities  of  the  poisons  and 
wastes  of  the  body. 

In  shallow  breathing,  the 
blood  does  not  get  the  oxygen 
it  needs  to  do  its  work  of 
carrying  fresh  and  pure  mate- 
rials to  all  the  cells  of.  the 
body ;  the  cell  tissues  there- 
fore are"  impaired  or  break 
down,  and  the  general  health 
suffers. 

Correct  breathing  is  frequently  interfered  with  by  the 
manner  in  which  one  holds  his  body,  or  by  clothing  that  is 
too  tight.  When  the  shoulders  are  habitually  stooped,  the 
lungs  are  crowded  and  cannot  be  filled  with  fresh  air.  Some 
of  the  air  cells  become  inactive,  and,  finally,  diseased. 
Clothing  that  binds  the  walls  of  the  chest  and  the  abdomen, 
preventing  them  from  expanding  freely,  is  injurious.  The 
body  should  always  be  carried  erect,  with  the  head  held 
high,  the  chin  and  abdomen  drawn  in.  In  order  to  stand 
properly,  comfortable,  well-fitting  shoes  should  always  be 
worn.  In  sitting,  the  spinal  column  should  be  kept 
straight  and  the  shoulders  even.  Do  not  stoop  over 


Test  each  nostril 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


your  work,  so  that  your  heart  and  lungs  are  crowded 
close  together. 

Deep  breathing  exercises  are  very  helpful  to  the  worker 
and  require  but  a  few  minutes'  daily  practice.  It  is  espe- 
cially beneficial  for  workers  employed  in  factory,  shop, 
store,  and  office  to  cultivate  the  habit  of  holding  the 
head  erect  and  breathing  deeply  whenever  they  can,  espe- 
cially as  they  go  to  and  from  their  work. 

Hands  and  nails.  —  Clean  hands  and  finger  nails  are  also 
factors  in  success.  Not  only  is  there  an  instinctive  prejudice 


against  the  person  who  goes  about  with  grimy  fingers 
and  with  his  nails  dirty,  but  clean  hands  are  a  protec- 
tion against  filth  and  germs  that  may  be  carried  into  the 
body,  while  taking  up  food,  or  touching  the  mouth  with 
the  fingers.  Inflammation  is  frequently 
caused  by  scratching  the  skin  with  dirty 
finger  nails. 

Nails  may  be  easily  kept  clean  if  they 
are  worn  short.     They  should  be  allowed 
to  grow  long  enough  to  protect  the  ends 
of  the  fingers,  but  not  so  long  as  to  permit  dirt  to  collect 
under  them,  or  to  run  the  risk  of  being  broken  and  split. 
The  hands  should  always  be  washed  before  eating. 


"CLEAN. 
TRIMMED. 
"SKIN  PUSHED 
BACK. 


GOOD   HABITS  FOR  THE  WORKER  25 

Feet.  —  The  feet  should  be  washed  every  day.  Com- 
fortable stockings,  without  holes  and  seams  to  irritate  and 
chafe  the  feet,  should  be  worn,  and  changed  frequently  — 
especially  if  the  feet  perspire  greatly.  Wear  shoes  that  fit 
and  do  not  tire  the  feet,  or  produce  corns  or  callouses.  Thin- 
soled  shoes  do  not  afford  sufficient  protection  against  cold 
and  dampness.  If  you  are  caught  in  the  rain,  change  your 
wet  shoes  and  stockings  as  soon  as  possible,  and  avoid  the 
danger  of  chilling  the  body  and  developing  colds. 

Bowels.  —  It  is  highly  important  to  one's  health  that  the 
bowels  move  freely  each  day.  If  the  wastes  of  the  body  are 
retained  longer  than  this,  their  poisonous  impurities  get 
into  the  blood  and  lead  to  a  train  of  evils.  Among  seden- 
tary workers,  especially,  there  is  a  tendency  to  constipation, 
which  must  be  counteracted  by  a  greater  attention  to  ex- 
ercise (particularly  of  the  type  given  in  Chapter  II),  by 
drinking  plentifully  of  pure  water,  and  by  eating  foods  that 
contain  more  refuse  matter,  such  as  vegetables,  whole 
wheat  or  graham  breads,  fruits,  and  other  materials  that 
cause  the  wastes  to  be  easily  eliminated. 

Sleep.  —  To  the  wage  earner,  a  proper  amount  of  rest 
is  as  essential  to  health  as  food,  water,  and  air.  The  nerv- 
ous system,  especially,  is  in  need  of  rest  after  the  wear  and 
tear  of  the  working  day,  and  there  seems  to  be  no  way  by 
which  the  delicate  organisms  of  the  body  can  be  restored, 
except  through  sleep. 

Sleep  is  a  mysterious  process,  about  which  we  know  very 
little,  except  that  during  the  period  of  unconsciousness  the 
muscles  relax,  the  nerves  are  at  rest,  and  most  of  the  cell 
waste  that  results  from  the  activities  of  mind  and  body  is 
stopped;  and,  if  sufficient  time  is  allowed  for  the  process  of 


26  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

repairing  the  worn-out  cells,  they  will  be  built  up  for  the 
next  day's  work. 

Without  sufficient  sleep  the  health  will  suffer.  If  we  were 
not  permitted  to  sleep  at  all,  we  should  die. 

In  this  connection,  it  is  well  to  speak  of  the  benefit  result- 
ing from  observing  regular  hours  for  rest  and  sleep.  If  the 
body  is  accustomed  to  being  put  to  bed  at  a  certain  hour 
every  night,  the  habit  of  sleeping  at  that  time  becomes 
fixed,  and  one  drops  off  to  sleep  easily  and  naturally.  Social 
engagements,  entertainments,  late  suppers,  excitement, 
worry,  and  everything  that  prevents  the  body  and  brain 
from  getting  the  needed  amount  of  sleep,  should  be  avoided, 
especially  in  the  case  of  workers  who  must  rise  at  an  early 
hour.  Ordinarily,  the  body  requires  at  least  eight  hours  of 
sleep. 

Sleep  and  air.  —  It  has  been  demonstrated  that  out  of 
doors  less  sleep  is  required  than  when  one  is  sleeping 
in  a  closed  room.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  process 
of  rebuilding  goes  on  more  rapidly  when  more  oxygen  is 
taken  into  the  system,  as  is  the  case  when  one  sleeps  out 
of  doors.  The  need  of  oxygen  in  the  rebuilding  of  the  cells 
is  imperative.  So  it  is  well,  if  you  cannot  sleep  out  of  doors, 
to  have  plenty  of  fresh  air  circulating  through  your  room  at 
night.  If  you  have  but  one  window  in  your  room,  pull  it 
down  from  the  top  and  up  from  the  bottom,  so  that  the  foul 
air  may  go  out  and  the  fresh  air  blow  in.  Never  mind  the 
cold ;  put  on  more  covering  if  necessary.  Sleeping  entirely 
in  the  open  air  is  best,  and  any  one  can  be  almost  out  of 
doors  on  a  sleeping  porch  or  by  using  a  window  tent.  (See 
page  218.) 

Better  rest  is  secured  through  sleeping  alone  and  in  a 


GOOD   HABITS  FOR  THE  WORKER 


27 


comfortable  bed.     If  your  bed  is  narrow  and  the  cold  seems 
to  come  up  from  the  floor,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  cover  the 
springs  under  the  mattress  with  a  thick  pad  of  paper  — 
newspaper  will  do  for  the  purpose.     This  will  help  to  keep 
the  body  warm  and  comfortable.     Warm  bed  clothing  need 


Getting  fresh  air  at  night 


not  be  heavy.  Very  heavy  covering  often  tire&J;he  body, 
and  one  rises  feeling  languid  and  unrefreshed.  (The  pillow 
should  always  be  low ;  a  very  high  pillow  bends  the  spinal 
column  to  one  side,  interferes  with  proper  breathing  by 
cramping  the  organs,  and  frequently  causes  disturbing 
dreamsj  The  bedclothes  should  be  aired  every  day  and 
exposed  to  the  sunlight  as  often  as  possible. 


28  HYGIENE  FOR   THE  WORKER 

(  At  night,  after  getting  into  bed,  lie  upon  your  back  and 
stretch  your  arms  and  legs  as  far  as  possible.  Then  relax 
and  take  ten  deep,  long  breaths,  exhaling  slowly  but  com- 
pletely. This  will  be  found  helpful  in  composing  the  mind 
and  body  for  sleep,  if  you  are  restless. 

When  we  consider  that  one  third  of  our  lives  is  spent  in 
sleep,  it  is  wise  to  make  the  conditions  for  complete  recu- 
peration the  very  best  possible,  and  to  allow  nothing  to  in- 
terfere seriously  with  the  intelligent  cells  in  their  nightly 
task  of  building  up  the  body  for  the  next  day's  work. ) 

EVENING    ROUTINE 

1.  "  After  dinner  rest  awhile." 

2.  Spend  the  evening  as  profitably  and  pleasantly  as  pos- 

sible ;   do  not  steal  to-morrow's  energy  and  waste  it 
on  questionable  fun. 

3.  "  Early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise  makes  a  man  healthy, 

wealthy,  and  wise." 

4.  Wash  to  get  clean;  use  hot  water  and  soap,  scrubbing 

brush   and   washcloth;    wash   the  face,  neck,  ears, 
arm-pits,  and  hands,  at  least. 

5.  Splash  with  cold  water  the  face,  neck,  and  chest,  at  least ; 

take  a  brisk  rub. 

6.  Brush  the  teeth  and  clean  the  mouth,  using  dental  floss 

between  the  teeth. 

7.  Visit  the  toilet  and  wash  the  hands  afterward. 

8.  Lay  out  the  clothes  for  the  morning ;  hang  them  so  that 

air  reaches  all  sides. 

9.  Open  the  windows,  top  and  bottom. 


CHAPTER  IV 
SUITABLE   CLOTHING 

Work  clothes.  —  Clothes,  first  of  all,  should  be  comfort- 
able and  should  not  interfere  with  the  activity  of  the  worker. 
If  you  are  obliged  to  use  your  arms  and  hands  constantly, 
reaching  and  stretching  a  great  deal,  it  is  evident  that 
sleeves  should  be  worn  that  do  not  bind  the  arms  and  seri- 
ously hinder  your  movements.  Besides  interfering  with 
the  speed  and,  consequently,  the  output  of  your  work,  they 
lead  more  quickly  to  fatigue.  This  may  be  said  of  any 
clothing  that  cramps  the  muscles,  keeps  the  blood  from 
circulating  freely,  and  causes  the  wearer  to  work  under  diffi- 
culties. 

A  great  many  accidents  to  women  workers  have  resulted 
from  the  wearing  of  high-heeled  shoes  and  narrow  skirts. 
Such  garments  as  these,  during  work  hours,  are  positively 
dangerous  and  no  safeguard  can  be  found  against  them, 
except  the  common  sense  of  the  workers  themselves. 

So  frequent  have  such  accidents  become  among  trav- 
elers, that  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  will  no  longer  pay 
damages  to  any  one  injured  in  getting  on  or  off  their  trains, 
if  it  is  proved  that  high-heeled  shoes  or  tightly  fitting  skirts 
were  responsible  for  the  injuries  received. 

Appropriate  clothing.  —  There  is  no  reason  why  the 
worker  should  not  present  a  neat,  businesslike  appearance, 
without  thinking  it  necessary  to  dress  in  elaborate,  inap- 
propriate garments  that  may  prove  to  be  dangerous,  as  well. 

29 


30  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

If  you  are  working  in  an  office,  of  course  your  clothing 
need  not  be  quite  so  plain  and  practical  as  when  you  are 
working  in  the  factory  or  shop,  because,  in  the  latter  places, 
not  only  are  your  clothes  subjected  to  more  dirt  and  strain, 
but  you  yourself  may  be  exposed  to  certain  dangers  that 
are  greatly  increased  by  the  kind  of  clothing  you  wear. 

Tight  clothing  of  any  sort  is  unsuitable  for  the  busy 
worker,  but  running  to  the  other  extreme  of  loose,  thin  gar- 
ments may  prove  just  as  much  a  menace  to  health  and 
safety.  Women  workers  are  more  apt  to  be  careless 
in  this  respect  than  men  and  boys.  A  business  woman 
should  not  go  to  her  work  so  thinly  clad  that  she  is  blue  and 
shivering  all  day.  Very  thin  waists  are,  at  best,  inap- 
propriate for  work;  but  while  there  may  be  some  excuse 
for  wearing  them  in  midsummer,  they  are  too  light  for  wear 
in  the  winter  time,  as  good  health  depends  so  much  on  keep- 
ing the  body  uniformly  warm.  In  cold  or  wet  weather, 
therefore,  see  that  your  legs,  feet,  arms,  and  body  are  well 
protected. 

Cautions  for  the  machine  worker.  —  If  you  happen  to 
work  on  a  machine  or  near  swiftly  moving  belts  and 
wheels  be  careful  never  to  wear  loose  sleeves,  a  flowing  tie, 
or  any  frayed,  torn  garments  that  may  catch  in  the  mov- 
ing parts  of  the  machinery.  Many  workers  have  been 
caught  in  cogs,  or  whirled  to  death  around  shafting, 
through  such  simple  things  as  these. 

An  insurance  inspector  tells  the  story  of  noticing  on  one 
of  his  visits  to  a  certain  factory  a  set  screw  which  projected 
from  a  revolving  shaft  and  which  he  considered  very  dan- 
gerous because  the  shaft  was  near  a  passageway,  through 
which  the  workmen  were  obliged  to  walk.  When  he  called 


SUITABLE   CLOTHING 


Cap 


caught  up 


the  manager's  attention  to  the  danger  and  suggested  that 
some  one  would  get  hurt  if  the  screw  was  not  cut  off  or  sunk 
into  the  shaft,  the  manager  treated  the  matter  lightly. 
"  Oh,"  he  scoffed,  "  that  screw  has  been  like  that  for 
years.  Every  one  can  see  it,  and  the  fact  that  it  is  ex- 
posed makes  it  impossible  for 
an  accident  to  happen."  He 
had  a  way  of  waving  his  arm 
as  he  spoke,  and  doing  so 
this  time,  his  loose  sleeve 
caught  in  the  projecting  screw, 
and  in  an  instant  he  was 
whirled  to  death. 

The  inspector  uses  the  story 
to  illustrate  the  danger  of  pro- 
jections on  revolving  shafting   EU»W  Sleeves 
and  the  necessity  of   guarding    Short  Apron 

strings 

the  dangerous  parts  of  machin- 
ery; but  it  also  demonstrates 
the  need  of  a  little  caution  on 
the  part  of  the  worker  who  is 
obliged  to  work  in  proximity 
to  such  dangers  every  day. 
Keep  your  sleeves  well  rolled 
up,  or  wear  them  short,  if  your 

work  brings  you  close  to  the  moving  parts  of  machinery. 
Clothes  for  women  workers.  —  Women  workers  in  fac- 
tories should  never  be  permitted  to  wear  flowing  sleeves  or 
aprons  with  long  strings,  or  to  have  their  clothing  of  such 
light  material  that  it  may  be  blown  into  contact  with  ex- 
posed cog  wheels,  shafting,  or  belts  running  along  the  floor. 


Appropriate  and  attractive  clothes  for 
the  woman  worker 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


Making  a  sleeve  protector  of  paper 


Women  and  girls  are  also  in  grave  danger  of  being  scalped, 
if  they  wear  their  hair  loose  and  unconfined  while  working 
at  machines  running  at  high  speed.  Many  serious  accidents 

of  this  kind  occur  fre- 
quently in  factories. 
Therefore,  girls  and 
women  should  wear 
caps,  made  of  light, 
washable  material, 
that  completely  cover 
the  hair,  preventing  it 
from  coming  in  con- 
tact with  the  machin- 
ery, or  from  being  drawn  into  it  through  the  electricity  that  is 
generated  by  the  friction  of  the  moving  parts.  The  work 
apron  should  be  heavy,  not  only  to  protect  the  dress  from  the 
grease  and  dirt  of  the  machines,  but 
also  to  keep  the  skirts  from  catching 
in  them.  It  should  have  short 
strings,  with  no  loose  ends. 

In  the  office  or  for  any  light  man- 
ual work,  sleeve  protectors  may  be 
worn  by  women  workers,  as  coarse 
or  fine  as  the  work  demands  or  the 
taste  of  the  wearer  dictates.  These 
will  prove  to  be  a  great  economy, 
keeping  waists  fresh  and  clean  for  a 
longer  period  and  also  saving  them 
from  wearing  out  too  quickly. 

Clothes  for  the  machinist.  —  It  is  possible  for  the  young 
man  working  in  an  office  to  wear  collars  and  cuffs,  whereas 


The  worker  dressed  for 
the  shop 


SUITABLE   CLOTHING 


33 


the  machinist  can  dispense  with  them.  In  the  latter  case, 
he  is  better  clad  for  his  work  if  he  wears  a  flannel  or  dark 
wash  shirt,  the  sleeves  of  which  can  be  easily  rolled  back, 
and  trousers  of  strong,  serviceable  material.  There  is  no 
reason,  however,  why  he  should  not  put  on  a  collar  with  his 
coat,  at  the  close  of  the  day's  work,  ,, 
adding  to  his  personal  appearance,  -Cj 
as  well  as  to  his  self-respect,  when 
he  passes  on  to  the  street  from  the 
shop. 

Linen.  —  The  wearing  of  clean 
collars  and,  sometimes,  cuffs,  should 
not  be  considered  an  extravagance 
or  a  sign  of  foppishness  on  the  part 
of  the  young  worker.  The  small 
amount  of  money  spent  in  having 
linen  laundered,  if  it  is  not  done  at 
home,  does  not  begin  to  compare 
with  what  can  be  wasted  on  ciga- 
rettes in  the  course  of  a  week. 

Don't,  however,  wear  celluloid 
collars  with  the  idea  that  they  are 
economical  and  look  just  as  well  as 
the  other  kind.  They  may  be 
cheap,  but,  too  often,  the  wearer  forgets  to  clean  or  change 
them  as  frequently  as  necessary,  and  they  become  very 
dirty  and  unsanitary,  and  may  prove  dangerous  if  they 
happen  to  scratch  or  chafe  his  neck.  Besides,  celluloid 
collars  are  always  dangerous  if  brought  very  close  to  a  flame, 
and  many  a  boy  or  man  has  been  badly  burned  when  the 
head  of  a  match  has  flown  against  his  collar,  setting  it  ablaze. 


The  worker  dressed  for  the 
street 


34  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

Shoes.  —  The  feet  of  the  worker  are  just  as  important 
as  any  other  part  of  the  body  and  demand  just  as  intelligent 
care.  In  fact,  a  healthful  condition  of  the  feet  is  closely 
connected  with  a  sound  condition  of  body,  nerves,  and  brain, 
and,  consequently,  with  the  happiness  of  the  individual. 
Fatigue  and  nervousness  are  more  often  due  to  tired,  aching 
feet  than  to  any  other  cause. 

Shoes,  especially  the  shoes  of  the  worker,  should  be  strong 
and  comfortable.  They  should  be  kept  clean  and  neat.  A 
worker  may  find  that  so  simple  a  thing  as  keeping  his  shoes 
well  brushed  sometimes  leads  to  a  promotion  that  remains 

a  mystery  to  his  fel- 
low employees,  whose 
work,  apparently,  is 
just  as  good,  but 
whose  appearance  is 
less  tidy. 

Thin-soled  shoes  do 
not  afford  sufficient 
protection  for  the 
average  worker,  par- 

This  shows  a  foot  distorted  by  a  pointed  shoe  and   tlCUlarly    when    he    is 
a  foot  in  a  comfortable  shoe  of  natural  shape  ...       .    . 

obliged  to  stand  and 
work  for  hours  in  a  cold,  wet,  or  drafty  place. 

Results  of  ill-fitting  shoes.  —  The  worker  should  wear 
shoes  that  fit  and  do  not  tire  the  feet.  Do  not  try  to  make 
your  feet  fit  shoes  that  are  a  size  or  so  too  small  for  them. 
Tight  shoes  and  stockings  hinder  the  circulation  of  the 
blood  in  the  feet  and  legs,  and  crowd  the  joints  and  muscles 
so  closely  together  that  the  nervous  system  suffers  a  strain 
and  shock  that  is  as  cruel  as  it  is  unnecessary.  Heels  too 


SUITABLE  CLOTHING 


35 


high  or  too  low  may  weaken  the  feet;  pointed  toes  and 
narrow  lasts  are  responsible  for  corns  and  bunions  ;  and  the 
condition  known  as  "  flat-foot "  or  broken  arch  is  due  to 
the  wearing  of  improperly  made  shoes,  or  to  the  fact  that  the 
worker  is  obliged  to  be  on  his  feet  all  day  long. 

Heels  much  too  high  or  placed  under  the  arch  of  the  foot, 
throw  the  body  into  such  an  unnatural  position  when  walk- 
ing or  standing,  that  other  muscles  and  organs  besides  the 
feet  are  seriously  af- 
fected. A  curious 
case  of  this  sort  came 
under  the  observation 
of  a  surgeon  who  dis- 
covered, after  many 
experiments,  that  an 
obstinate  eye  trouble 
was  directly  due  to 
wearing  badly  made 
shoes. 

Flat-foot.  —  Physi- 
ologists tell  us  that  a 
high-arched  foot  can 
be  naturally  developed  and  kept  in  shape  by  exercise  in 
walking.  The  English  people  are  great  walkers,  and  that 
is  why,  it  is  said,  so  few  are  flat-footed. 

Special  exercises  and  artificial  helps  are  necessary  if  our  feet 
are  to  be  kept  normal  and  we  find  it  impossible  to  do  much 
walking  every  day.  The  practice  of  rising  on  the  toes  for  a 
few  minutes  each  morning,  bearing  the  body's  weight  toward 
the  outer  edges  of  the  soles,  has  been  suggested  by  foot  spe- 
cialists, both  as  a  cure  and  as  a  preventive  of  flat-footedness. 


Normal  foot 


Flat-foot 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


Exercise  1 


The  signs  of  flat-foot 
are :  the  foot  turned 
out,  a  low  and  tender 
arch,  and  pains  in  the 
heel,  calf,  hip,  or  back. 
The  defect  should  be 
treated  by  standing, 
toes  in,  with  the 
weight  resting  more 
on  the  toes.  When 
walking,  "toe  in"  a 
little  and  press  on  the 
toes  as  the  foot  leaves 
the  ground.  If  special  exercises  are  needed,  the  follow- 
ing are  recommended  to 
be  performed  once  a 
day:- 


Rub  and  knead  the 
foot  under  the 
arch,  pressing  up 
with  the  thumb 
and  bending  the 
toes  down  with 
the  fingers. 

With  the  toes  turned 
in  a  little,  raise 
the  heels  high  ten 
times. 

Rock  back  and  forth 
on  the  outside 


Exercise  2 


SUITABLE  CLOTHING 


37 


of  the  feet,  with  the  soles  turned  toward  each  other, 
ten  times. 

4.  Turn  the  toes  in  and  walk  forward  ten  steps  on  the  out- 

side of  the  feet,  lifting  the  heels  high,  ten  times. 

5.  Rub  and  knead  the  foot  as  suggested  in  the  first  exercise. 

Do  these  exercises  (2,  3,  4)  twice  the  second  day,  three 
times  the  third,  and  so  on  until  you  run  through  the  series 
ten  times  a  day.  These 
should  be  continued  until 
the  weakness  has  entirely 
disappeared. 

Special  shoes.  —  Per- 
sons suffering  from  corns, 
enlarged  joints,  and  bun- 
ions, and  serious  cases 
of  flat-foot,  need  special 
shoes  to  correct  these  evils, 
and  they  should  make  it 
a  point  to  get  those  that 
provide  sufficient  length  and  breadth  for  the  toes,  and  fit 
closely  at  the  instep  and  heel.  When  necessary,  the  shoes 
should  be  braced  to  give  special  support  to  the  arch  and 
instep. 

Certain  occupations  demand  shoes  that  give  more  than 
ordinary  protection. 

Many  laundry  workers  suffer  from  "  flat-foot  "  and  vari- 
cose veins,  to  relieve  which  special  shoes  and  elastic  stock- 
ings should  be  worn  at  work.  For  outdoor  work,  one  should 
wear  shoes  that  are  thick-soled  and  heavy  enough  to  keep 
out  the  cold  and  wet. 


Exercise  3 


38  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


CLOTHES    FOR    THE   WORKER 

1.  Underclothes. — Wear  linen   mesh  of   different  weights 

next  to  the  skin  all  the  year  round ;  cotton  is  next 
best.  If  necessary,  wear  wool  on  top  of  the  linen 
mesh;  or  light  wool  for  winter.  Change  at  night. 

2.  Corsets. — Unnecessary  if  the  muscles  of  the  waist  are 

strong.     They  may  be  tight  below  the  waist  only. 

3.  Collars. — Neither  tight  nor  high. 

4.  Shoes.  —  Comfortable  and  well  fitted. 

5.  Hats. — Soft  hats  are  better  than  the  hard  derby,  which 

presses  on  the  scalp. 

6.  Outer  Clothing.  — When  buying  clothes,  consider  the  fol- 

lowing points:— 

(a)  Durability. — How  long  before  you  will  have  to  re- 
place it  ? 

(b)  Comfort. — Do  not  buy  anything   that  will  be  a 
continual  discomfort,  even  if  it  looks  well. 

(c)  Style. — Simple  things  are  always  in  style.     Striking 
clothes  often  outlast  their  appropriateness. 

(d)  Warmth.  —  Good  material  is  more  important  than 
appearance. 

(e)  Appropriateness. — Is  it  suited   to  your  work  and 
age? 

(/)    Economy.  —  Can  you  afford  it? 


CHAPTER  V 

FOOD   AND  DRINK 

One  is  largely  what  he  eats  and  drinks.  —  The  old  saying 
of  the  philosopher,  "  Tell  me  the  company  you  keep,  and 
I  will  tell  you  what  you  are,"  could  be  changed  into,  "  Tell 
me  the  food  you  daily  put  into  your  mouth,  and  I  will  tell 
you  the  condition  of  your  body  and  the  ailments  from 
which  you  suffer." 

This  is,  of  course,  from  the  physical  standpoint  only,  but 
some  food  scientists  have  gone  so  far  as  to  say  that  the  kind 
of  food  one  eats  finally  acts  upon  the  brain  and  moral 
nature,  so  that,  given  a  certain  diet  for  a  certain  length  of 
time,  a  great  deal  of  human  weakness  and  meanness  would 
be  corrected  and  many  crimes  would  be  prevented  from 
taking  place. 

The  body  an  engine.  —  The  body  is  very  much  like  a 
steam  engine,  which  needs  good  fuel  and  plenty  of  it  in 
order  to  get  up  a  good  head  of  steam.  The  food  and  drink 
that  go  into  the  body  may  be  considered  as  fuel,  which  will 
be  turned  into  power,  or  energy,  to  move,  to  think,  and  to 
work. 

Carrying  out  this  idea,  we  may  look  upon  the  air  that  is 
breathed  into  the  body  as  the  drafts  which  regulate  the  heat 
and  help  to  burn  up  the  fuel,  and  the  wastes  of  the  body  as 
the  ashes  and  clinkers  which  must  be  raked  out  and  not 
allowed  to  clog  the  furnace. 

39 


40  HYGIENE   FOR   THE  WORKER 

It  has  been  said  that  one  puts  into  his  mouth  his  weight 
in  food  and  drink  each  month.  But  there  should  be  a  bal- 
ance between  what  one  takes  in  and  uses  in  warming  and 
repairing  the  body,  and  what  passes  off  from  the  body  as 
useless  waste.  Not  to  eat  enough,  or,  as  happens  in  many 
cases,  not  to  get  enough  from  the  food  eaten  to  make  good 
blood,  tends  to  make  the  body  weak,  if  not  actually  ill ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  just  as  bad  to  take  into  the 
body  more  than  it  can  use  and  so  keep  it  clogged  and 
poisoned  with  waste.  Plenty  of  exercise,  fresh  air,  and  the 
habit  of  drinking  an  abundance  of  water  every  day  will  help 
to  shake  down  the  ashes  and  keep  the  body  in  the  best  con- 
dition for  using  the  fuel  that  is  given  it. 

How  much  food.  —  It  is  impossible  for  one  person  to  tell 
another  just  how  much  food  he  should  eat  each  day,  for 
exercise  and  very  active  work  make  it  necessary  to  spend  a 
greater  amount  of  bodily  heat  and  energy  than  are  called  for 
when  the  body  is  resting  or  engaged  in  lighter  tasks.  The 
size  and  particularly  the  age  of  the  person  must  also  be 
taken  into  account.  A  child  demands  more  tissue-building 
foods  than  does  the  person  who  has  stopped  growing  and 
who  needs  only  enough  of  them  to  repair  the  cells  that  are 
worn  out  during  each  day. 

[  Every  one  needs  food  that  keeps  the  body  warm.  Keep- 
ing the  body  at  an  even  heat,  not  too  hot  and  not  too  cold, 
is  necessary  to  health  and  comfort,  for  we  are  continually 
giving  off  heat  to  the  surrounding  air.  Food  is  also  needed 
to  repair  the  wear  and  tear  upon  the  muscles  and  hard-work- 
ing organs  of  the  body.  In  addition  to  the  foods  that  warm 
and  repair  the  body,  we  need  food  that  will  give  an  extra 
amount  of  strength  and  energy  which  may  be  used  in  think- 


FOOD  AND  DRINK  41 

ing,  playing,  or  working.  So  you  see  we  must  consider 
what  food  we  should  eat,  how  we  should  eat  it  so  that  it 
will  do  the  most  good,  and  last  but  not  least,  we  must  be 
sure  that  the  body  machine  is  not  clogged  by  the  waste  that 
is  renewed  daily. 

In  general,  those  who  are  still  growing  need  the  most 
to  eat,  the  young  man  and  woman  somewhat  less ;  the  old 
man  should  eat  still  less  and  very  carefully. 

The  more  exercise  one  takes,  the  more  food  is  needed. 
A  clerk  needs  less  than  a  laborer,  but  he  needs  to  be  more 
careful  in  his  eating. 

Choice  of  food.  —  The  question  of  diet  is  attracting  more 
and  more  attention.  What  to  eat  and  what  to  drink  to 
make  the  body  more  efficient  is  being  studied  and  discussed 
by  many  scientific  writers.  Nearly  all  of  them  claim  that 
we  eat  too  much,  but  that  of  course  depends  on  the  class 
of  people  and  the  kind  of  work  involved. 

While  a  great  many  people  may  be  suffering  from  in- 
temperance in  eating  and  drinking,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a 
great  number  of  persons  in  this  world  do  not  get  enough  to 
eat,  or  at  least  not  the  kind  of  food  to  give  them  health  and 
strength. 

Quite  apart  from  the  theories  on  this  subject,  the  question 
of  diet  should  be  of  interest  to  every  wage  earner,  as  not 
only  his  health,  but  his  efficiency  and  success  may  depend 
largely  on  the  food  he  eats. 

The  cost  of  food  is  something  the  wage  earner  should 
consider.  Sometimes  we  think  we  cannot  get  the  right 
kind  of  food,  because  it  costs  too  much;  but  this  is  a  mis- 
take. Good,  nourishing  food,  if  carefully  selected,  need 
not  be  expensive.  The  average  American  worker  is  the 


42  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

most  extravagant  buyer  of  food  in  the  world,  probably 
because  he  knows  so  little  about  what  food  is  of  most  value 
to  him. 

The  body  is  made  up  of  at  least  fourteen  elements,  which 
are  well-known  in  chemistry,  but  which  need  not  be  dis- 
cussed here,  other  than  to  say  that  all  of  them  are  necessary 
to  the  body  and  blood  and  musTBe  taken  in  with  the  air  we 

•••..,  i  _ 

breathe  and  the  food  we  eat.  . 

That  is  why  a  varied  diet  is  the  best  to  follow,  and  when 
we  look  around  and  see  all  the  articles  of  food  that  have 
been  so  plentifully  supplied  by  a  wise  Providence,  we  find 
none  of  the  needed  elements  wanting.  Moreover,  we  can 
find  the  fourteen  elements  in  very  simple  foods.  For  in- 
stance, a  grain  of  wheat  contains  all  of  them. 

A  few  general  hints  and  suggestions  may  be  helpful  in  the 
selection  and  combination  of  simple  foods. 

Foods  are  usually  classified  under  these  three  headings : 
proteids,  carbohydrates,  fats. 

Proteids.  —  The  living  portions  of  the  body,  the  organs, 
heart,  lungs,  liver,  etc.,  and  the  muscles,  are  made  of  proteid 
material,  and  therefore  When  the  body  needs  to  grow  or  to  be 
repaired,  as  it  must  constantly  be,  we  need  proteids  to  pro- 
vide the  material. 

Of  course,  while  we  are  growing  we  need  much  proteid. 
As  we  grow  older,  we  need  less  and  less.  Again,  those  who 
do  the  hardest  muscular  work  and  use  up  much  of  the  struc- 
ture of  the  body  need  more  than  those  who  do  not  work  so 
hard. 

Meats  and  eggs  are  the  most  usual  forms  of  proteids; 
fish,  beans,  peas,  lentils,  and  cheese  also  contain  a  great 
deal.  Proteid  food  is  the  only  kind  that  contains  nitrogen, 


FOOD  AND  DRINK 


43 


and,  therefore,  is  the  only  food  that  contains  all  the  ele- 
ments of  which  we  ourselves  are  composed.  So  it  is  ab- 
solutely essential  to  life.  In  this  country,  almost  every  one 


Proteid  foods 


eats  too  much  meat.  Twice  a  day  is  enough  for  any  of  us 
and  once  a  day  for  those  who  are  middle-aged.  Eating 
too  much  meat  and  other  proteids  causes  headache  and 
finally  rheumatism  in  some  form  or  other.  This  is  where 
the  worker  can  economize,  for  meat  costs  more  than  any- 
thing else,  and  too  much  does  a  great  deal  of  serious  harm. 
Carbohydrates.  —  The  heat  and  energy  of  the  body  are 
secured  mostly  from  the  carbohydrates  and  fats.  Carbo- 
hydrates are  also  called  the  starch  and  sugar  diet,  which 
should  make  up  the  largest  part  of  our  daily  food  ;  but  the 
body  cannot  make  good  use  of  most  of  this  starchy  food 


Carbohydrate  foods 


until  it  has  been  changed  into  a  form  of  sugar  by  the  saliva 
in  the  mouth.  Hence  we  should  chew  the  food  enough  to 
give  the  saliva  a  chance  to  mix  thoroughly  with  it. 

In  the  carbohydrate  class  are  found  all  the  grains  (wheat, 
oats,    corn,    rye,    buckwheat,    rice),    potatoes,    macaroni, 


44 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


Fat  foods 


bananas,  dried  fruits,  and  all  kinds  of  sugar.     Most  of  the 
vegetables  may  be  put  in  this  class,  although  they  often 

contain  a  little  pro- 
teid  and  fat,  so  that 
one  could  live  en- 
tirely upon  vegeta- 
bles if  he  so  desired. 
Fats.  —  The  fat 
foods  are  principally 
butter,  lard,  olive  oil, 
cream,  etc.,  although  many  foods  containing  much  fat  may 
be  included,  as  milk,  cheese,  pork,  ham,  bacon,  and  nuts. 

A  mixed  diet  is  natural.  —  It  has  been  said  that  the  aver- 
age person  should  not  eat  more  than  four  ounces  of  the  pro- 
teid  food  each  day,  and  that  three  ounces  of  the  fats  should 
be  eaten.  Many  people  eat  much  of  their  fatty  food  in  the 
form  of  butter  on  their  bread.  Every  one  should  eat  a  good 
supply  of  the  starch  and  sugar  foods,  unless  one  is  stout. 
Then,  these  foods  may  be  used  sparingly.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  one  wishes 
to  gain  in  weight,  a 
diet  of  the  starchy 
foods,  sweets,  and 
milk  will  soon  fat- 
ten one.  All  these 
three  kinds  of  food 
are  necessary  to 
health,  and  we  in- 
stinctively desire 
just  about  the  proper  proportion.  We  seldom  make  a  meal 
of  only  one  kind.  For  instance,  a  sandwich  contains  pro- 


„._'._  /  PROTEID 
BREAD  ^CARBOHYDRATE 

Food  elements  in  a  sandwich 


45 


teid  in  the  meat,  cheese,  or  egg,  carbohydrate  in  the  bread 
(which  also  has  a  little  pro  teid),  and  fat  in  the  butter  and 
perhaps  on  the  meat.  Bread  itself  contains  all  three  kinds 
of  food,  but  is  deficient  in  fat,  so  we  naturally  make  it  up 
by  spreading  butter  upon  it. 

Vegetables.  —  We  must  be  sure  that  we  eat  enough  food 
not  only  of  value  for  the  fats,  proteids,  and  carbohydrates 
it  contains,  but  for  the  apparently  useless  waste  in  the  form 
of  fiber  that  naturally  goes  with  it.  The  stomach  and  in- 
testines work  best  when  there  is  enough  coarse,  indigestible 
matter  to  stimulate  them  to  activity.  Hence,  we  must  be 
sure  to  have  in  the  day's  list  of  food  green  vegetables  like 
lettuce,  turnips,  squash,  tomatoes,  spinach, 
and  fruit.  Neglect  of  this  rule  causes  con- 
stipation, and  constipation  causes  head- 
aches, indigestion,  colds,  and  is  at  the  root 
of  most  of  our  illnesses. 

Milk.  —  Of  all  the  foods,  milk  may  be 
said  to  be  the  most  complete.  It  contains 
all  the  materials  needed  by  the  body :  the 
fat,  the  sugar,  and,  in  the  cheesy  part  of 
milk,  the  proteid  or  albumin,  found  in  eggs,  A  bottle  of  milk  show. 
fish,  and  meat.  In  addition,  milk  con- 
tains some  valuable  salts  which  are  useful 
in  making  bone.  If  it  were  necessary  to 
do  so,  one  could  live  for  a  time  on  milk  alone,  and  this  is 
why  it  is  a  perfect  food  for  children.  All  of  the  other  foods 
need  to  be  taken  in  combination  with  something  else  in 
order  to  get  the  various  kinds  of  elements  needed  and  to 
make  them  palatable. 

It  is  because  milk  is  unclean  and  full  of  germs  or  has  been 


water 


ing  the  proportions  of 
water,  fat,  sugar,  pro- 
teid, and  minerals. 
(After  Davison.) 


46  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

spoiled  by  standing  or  given  in  unclean  nursing  bottles,  that 
so  many  babies  are  made  ill.  It  should  always  be  remem- 
bered that  stale,  dirty  milk  is  dangerous.  Many  physi- 
cians advise  that  milk  be  heated,  "  pasteurized,"  not  boiled, 
in  order  to  kill  the  bacteria  and  to  run  no  risks  of  injuring 
babies ;  but  if  the  milk  is  clean  and  pure  and  not  thinned 
with  water,  it  need  not  be  sterilized. 

Most  of  the  cities  are  now  inspecting  the  milk  that  is 
used,  and  dairymen  and  dealers  are  not  allowed  to  sell  im- 
pure milk  if  the  inspectors  know  about  it ;  but  it  would  be 
well  to  find  out,  each  one  of  us,  just  where  our  milk  comes 
from,  to  be  sure  that  we  are  getting  the  best.  Don't  buy 
milk  "loose";  that  is,  from  the  dirty  cans  that  are  kept  in 
grocery  stores,  open  to  the  dust  and  flies,  and  which  are 
seldom  kept  cool  enough  to  prevent  the  milk  from  spoiling. 

Water.  —  As  the  body,  in  normal  health,  is  two  thirds 
water,  it  needs  a  plentiful  supply  of  water  every  day.  Apart 
from  the  liquid  contained  in  our  food,  we  need  to  drink  one 
or  two  quarts  of  water  daily.  If,  besides  water,  we  drink 
tea,  coffee,  cocoa,  or  chocolate,  they  should  not  be  made 
too  strong  or  rich.  We  should  do  without  coffee  if  we  can, 
for  it  often  causes  indigestive  headaches  and  rheumatism. 

Pure  water,  the  drink  that  has  been  provided  by  nature, 
is  the  best  beverage.  We  need  water  to  distribute  the  food 
and  warmth  throughout  the  body  and  to  wash  the  waste 
out  of  every  nook  and  corner.  The  best  time  to  drink 
water  is  before  and  between  meals.  A  half  glass  of  water 
during  the  meal  is  often  an  excellent  thing.  The  disad- 
vantage of  drinking  water  at  that  time  comes  only  from 
drinking  too  much  and  using  it  to  wash  the  food  down 
instead  of  chewing  it. 


FOOD  AND   DRINK  47 

Wholesome  food.  —  In  addition  to  food  values,  the 
wage  earner  needs  to  be  interested  in  the  wholesomeness 
of  food  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  prepared  for  the 
table. 

In  1910  the  Department  of  Health  of  New  York  City 
condemned  and  destroyed  as  unfit  to  eat,  565,074  pounds 
of  fish,  1,880,772  pounds  of  meat,  and  12,137,375  pounds 
of  fruit  —  a  grand  total  of  14,583,221  pounds.  This  enor- 
mous total  shows  how  the  idea  of  pure  food  is  taking  hold 
of  our  minds,  and  represents  a  wonderful  saving  in  life  and 
health  to  the  community. 

Cooking.  —  Food  should  be  appetizing.  In  many  house- 
holds, good  foods,  particularly  meats,  are  spoiled  by  cook- 
ing until  they  are  dry,  flat,  and  tasteless.  A  great  deal  of 
discontent  in  our  families  might  be  avoided,  if  the  house- 
wives selected  food  carefully,  prepared  it  nicely,  and  served 
it  in  an  attractive,  tempting  manner.  The  ill-fed  body  is 
restless  and  unsatisfied  and  likely  to  crave  stimulants. 

One  need  not  buy  the  expensive  kinds  of  meat.  The 
cheaper  grade  of  steak,  if  well  beaten  and  cooked,  not  fried, 
in  a  very  hot  pan,  over  a  hot  fire,  and  turned  quickly  to 
sear  the  meat  and  keep  in  the  juices,  may  prove  a  much 
better  steak  than  the  high-priced  ones  that  are  served 
in  the  restaurants.  A  pot  roast  may  be  made  delicious 
when  cooked  in  an  iron  pot  on  top  of  the  stove  and  turned 
frequently,  in  a  little  water  at  first,  to  keep  it  from  sticking 
fast  to  the  pot.  When,  later,  more  water  is  added  for  the 
soup  and  soup  vegetables,  one  has  a  complete  dinner  in  a 
single  pot,  at  a  much  less  price  than  a  regular  roast  would 
have  cost. 

Nourishing  soups  may  be  had  from  cracked  soup  bones, 


48  HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 

and  made  appetizing  by  the  addition  of  vegetables  and 
savory  herbs.  Clear  soups  are  not  nourishing. 

Vegetables  may  be  ruined  in  the  cooking,  or  prepared  so 
that  the  natural  salts  and  flavor  are  not  retained .  Some  vege- 
tables are  best  when  eaten  raw,  as  celery,  radishes,  etc.  The 
cooking  of  green  vegetables  should  be  begun  in  boiling  water 
and  salt  added  when  they  are  about  done.  Vegetables 
should  be  served  as  soon  as  cooked  and  should  not  be 
allowed  to  stand  in  the  cooking  vessels. 

Potatoes,  peas,  green  beans,  asparagus,  and  other  deli- 
cately flavored  vegetables,  should  be  cooked  in  less  water 
than  the  stronger  ones,  such  as  cabbage,  onions,  turnips, 
and  carrots,  whose  flavor  may  be  softened  by  changing  the 
water  during  the  cooking  process. 

Potatoes  are  more  nourishing  and  digestible  when  baked, 
boiled,  or  mashed  than  when  fried.  Beans,  peas,  and  len- 
tils, when  dried  and  then  cooked,  are  cheap  substitutes  for 
meat. 

Wheat,  oats,  rice,  and  corn  are  all  cheaper  than  meat  and 
contain  more  food  elements.  As  breakfast  foods,  these 
cereals  may  be  combined  with  sugar,  milk,  or  fruits  to  make 
them  more  palatable  and  to  give  variety  to  the  diet;  as 
desserts,  they  may  be  used  in  combination  with  sugar,  eggs, 
fruit,  or  milk,  and  baked.  When  these  cereals,  in  the  form 
of  breads,  are  combined  with  butter,  cheese,  eggs,  ham, 
peanut  butter,  or  nuts,  they  furnish  a  more  substantial  fare. 

Buying.  —  By  buying  staple  foods  in  quantities  and  per- 
ishable foods  only  when  needed ;  by  refusing  to  take  stale 
meat,  dirty  and  half-rotten  fruits  and  vegetables,  because 
they  are  "cheap";  by  doing  a  little  more  cooking  at  home 
and  less  running  to  the  groceries  and  delicatessen  shops  for 


FOOD   AND   DRINK  49 

small  quantities  of  prepared  foods  at  extravagant  prices; 
by  selecting  foods  wisely  and  with  a  view  to  the  needs  of 
the  body;  by  preparing  them  in  an  appetizing  manner;  by 
eating  only  what  the  body  requires ;  and  by  chewing  that 
thoroughly,  —  we  would  soon  do  away  with  a  great  deal  of 
the  hard  times  and  high  prices  which  at  present  so  seriously 
affect  the  wage  earner. 

It  is  a  striking  sign  of  progress  that  our  public  schools  are 
now  teaching  domestic  science,  and  that  our  girls  and  young 
women  are  learning  the  economic,  scientific  side  of  cooking 
and  housekeeping.  They  should  be  given  every  opportu- 
nity for  development  and  practice  in  this  branch  of  study, 
for  the  health  and  efficiency  of  our  wage  earners  depend  as 
much  on  "  scientific  management  "  in  the  kitchen  as  in  the 
shop  and  office. 

Importance  of  chewing  food  thoroughly.  —  As  has  been 
pointed  out  before,  it  is  not  what  we  eat,  so  much  as  what 
we  make  our  own,  and  take  into  the  blood  to  nourish  us, 
that  counts.  Probably  half  or  two  thirds  of  what  we  now 
eat  would  be  quite  sufficient  to  nourish  us,  if  we  selected 
our  foods  carefully  and  took  time  to  chew  them  thoroughly. 

The  mouth  is  really  the  most  important  of  the  digestive 
organs,  for  it  breaks  up  the  large  pieces  of  food  and,  by  aid 
of  the  saliva,  prepares  the  food  so  that  the  stomach  and 
intestines  can  manage  it.  These  organs  cannot  do  the  work 
of  the  mouth ;  their  work  is  entirely  different.  The  stom- 
ach has  no  teeth. 

Food  should  be  chewed  until  it  becomes  a  paste  or  liquid. 
Gladstone,  the  great  English  statesman,  believed  that  his 
long  life  and  health  were  due  to  his  habit  of  chewing  every 
mouthful  of  food  forty  times.  Horace  Fletcher,  whose 


HYGIENE   FOR   THE   WORKER 


system  of  eating  for  health  is  now  widely  known  as  "  Flet- 
cherism,"  cured  himself  of  ill  health  of  long  standing,  and 
built  up  his  body  so  well  that,  at  sixty  years  of  age,  he 
showed  greater  strength  and  endurance  than  young  Ameri- 
can college  athletes. 

This,  he  claims,  was  done  by  following  a  very  simple 
diet,  eating   only  when  he  was   hungry,  and    thoroughly 

chewing  his  food 
until  it  became  a 
liquid  in  the  mouth. 
Mr.  Fletcher,  who  is 
what  he  calls  a  one 
third  eater  —  eating 
only  about  a  third 
as  much  food  as  is 
usually  taken- 
took  the  Yale  Uni- 
versity crew  work 
with  the  freshmen, 
who  were  all  three 


Wr 

Grinding 

\  ;  .••' 
For' 
Moistening 

The  first  processes  in  digestion 


Cutting 

thirds  eaters.  At 
the  end  of  seven 
days'  training,  he  had  lost  no  weight  and  was  in  as  good 
shape  as 'when  he  commenced.  The  younger  men,  on  the 
other  hand,  had  lost  weight,  some  of  them  had  to  rest  from 
the  work,  and  they  were  not  in  as  good  condition  as  when 
they  started  the  experiment. 

One  of  Mr.  Fletcher's  rules  is :  "  Do  not  eat  when  you  are 
mad  or  sad,  only  when  you  are  glad." 

This  shows  the  close  relation  between  the  mind  and  the 
ability  to  digest  food.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  indiges- 


FOOD  AND  DRINK  51 

tion  will  follow,  if  one  eats  when  very  angry  or  in  great 
grief. 

We  may  not  go  quite  to  the  extent  that  Mr.  Fletcher 
does  in  his  belief  that  chewing  food  into  liquid  form  will 
cure  all  human  ills,  but  we  are  quite  certain  that  we  neg- 
lect this  matter  too  much  and  that  proper  attention  to  it 
will  be  repaid  in  better  health  and  longer  life. 

Thorough  chewing  does  more  than  to  break  up  the  food 
and  to  help  the  saliva  flow.  It  draws  blood  to  the  muscles 
around  the  mouth  and  leads  to  better  formation  of  the 
jaws.  People  who  chew  their  food  thoroughly  and  also 
take  plenty  of  exercise  suffer  little  from  digestive  troubles 
and  do  not,  as  a  rule,  have  appendicitis. 

Even  fluid  foods  may  be  "  chewed,"  that  is,  held  in  the 
mouth  and  thoroughly  mixed  with  the  saliva.  In  this  way, 
they  not  only  will  prove  more  digestible,  but  will  be  much 
more  enjoyed  than  when  gulped  down.  Because  soups, 
milk,  mashed  potato,  and  cooked  rice  can  be  easily  swal- 
lowed, a  great  many  people  do  not  chew  them  at  all,  and 
then  wonder  why  their  food  does  not  "agree"  with  them. 

The  saliva  itself,  which  flows  abundantly  as  a  result  of 
chewing,  helps  to  cleanse  the  teeth  and  is  a  killer  of  germs, 
or  bacteria,  which  otherwise  would  pass  into  the  stomach 
and  intestines  alive.  This  is  the  reason  why  so  many 
people  suffer  from  stomach  and  bowel  troubles,  particularly 
in  the  summer,  when  it  is  difficult  to  keep  foods  fresh. 

REMEMBER 

1.  Good  food  is  cheap  and  will  taste  as  good  as  expensive 

food  if  you  chew  it  long  enough. 

2.  If  forced  to  economize,  cut  down  on  meat. 


52  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

3.  Too  much  meat  causes  more  headaches  than  does  hard 

work. 

4.  Well  chewed  and  digested  carbohydrates  and  fats  will 

keep  one  warm. 

5.  Green  vegetables  keep  the  intestinal  tract  and  the  brain 

clear. 

6.  Milk  is  the  best  food.    He  is  wise  who  uses  it. 

7.  Water  is  as  necessary  to  life  as  air,  and  almost  as  cheap. 

8.  Hot,  clear  soup  is  a  tonic  to  the  stomach,  —  not  a  food. 

9.  Every  one  should  know  something  about  cooking. 

10.   Unchewed  food  is  so  much  loss.     It  is  the  stomach's 
business  to  digest,  not  to  chew. 


CHAPTER  VI 

ALCOHOL  AND  TOBACCO 

The  source  of  power.  —  The  power  we  have  to  do  our 
day's  work  is  the  power  generated  within  our  bodies,  just 
as  power  is  generated  in  an  engine,  by  the  fuel  consumed. 
The  result  is  energy. 

Everything  that  can  be  converted  into  energy  is  useful  to 
the  human  machine.  Anything  that  cannot  be  so  used,  or 
that  detracts  from  the  regular  amount  of  energy,  is  a  tax 
and  burden  upon  the  machine,  even  when  it  is  not  actually 
harmful. 

Alcohol  is  not  a  food.  —  There  are  many  articles  of  food 
and  drink  which  the  physiologists  tell  us  are  of  little  or 
no  value  whatever  to  the  body  in  its  daily  work  of  manufac- 
turing energy.  But  the  most  harmful  of  all  these  articles 
is  alcohol. 

A  great  many  people  have  the  notion  that  anything  that 
causes  the  human  machine  to  act  more  quickly,  in  other 
words,  to  create  heat  and  energy  by  a  shorter  route  than 
usual,  is  useful.  But  it  is  as  great  a  mistake  to  believe  this 
as  to  think  we  must  always  turn  a  strong  draught  of  air  into 
a  fire  to  get  heat.  We  get  the  heat,  to  be  sure,  but  in  doing 
so  we  burn  up  the  fuel  very  quickly,  and  the  fire  frequently 
goes  out  when  we  need  it  most. 

This  is  exactly  what  stimulants  do  to  the  food  we  take 

53 


54  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

into  our  bodies.  We  may  get  a  false  kind  of  energy  for  a 
while  that  seems  to  enable  us  to  do  our  work  better,  but  a 
reaction  always  follows ;  and,  the  next  time,  we  find  it  nec- 
essary to  take  a  little  more  of  the  stimulant  in  order  to  get 
the  desired  effects. 

While  it  may  be  true  that  stimulants  have  an  occasional 
use  in  cases  of  emergency  and  sickness,  it  is  equally  true 
that  the  person  who  has  been  depending  on  stimulants  for  a 
long  while  is  unable  to  respond  to  them  when  the  crucial 
moment  arrives. 

An  acquired  and  dangerous  habit.  —  Why  do  people 
think  they  need  a  stimulant  at  all?  It  is  a  well-known 
fact  that  the  taste  of  any  kind  of  alcoholic  drink  is  very 
unpleasant  to  a  young  child.  The  taste  for  alcohol  is  ac- 
quired, totally  unlike  the  taste  for  fruits,  sweets,  and  whole- 
some foods,  to  which  the  young  are  naturally  attracted. 
Alcohol  does  not  really  quench  the  thirst,  as  so  many 
people  wish  to  believe,  but  brings  a  greater  thirst  in  its 
train  and  often  leads  to  regular  habits  of  drinking  and 
intoxication. 

It  is  only  when  people  have  wrong  habits  of  living  and 
do  not  eat  a  proper  amount  of  nourishing  food,  or  give  their 
bodies  a  proper  amount  of  rest  and  relaxation,  that  they 
feel  the  craving  for  stimulants.  When  nature  calls  for  rest 
and  food,  they  spur  on  the  weakened,  fainting  body  to 
greater  exertion,  through  the  excitation  produced  by  beer 
or  whisky. 

If  this  should  happen  only  once  or  twice,  no  great  harm 
might  be  done,  and  we  should  not  need  to  take  up  the  ques- 
tion so  seriously ;  but,  if  the  practice  is  kept  up,  it  soon  be- 
comes a  very  dangerous  habit. 


ALCOHOL  AND  TOBACCO  55 

Alcohol  and  illness.  —  Not  only  does  the  use  of  alcohol 
lead  to  exhaustion  and  a  gradual  weakening  of  the  nerves, 
but  it  also  reduces  the  ranks  of  that  wonderful  little  army 
of  fighting  blood  corpuscles,  or  phagocytes,  that  stand 
always  on  guard  throughout  the  body  to  resist  the  invasion 
of  disease  germs.  In  consequence,  a  person  addicted  to 
the  constant  use  of  alcohol  suffers  from  an  impairment  of 
vitality  and  a  blood  stream  so  poor  in  quality  that  he  is 
unable  to  resist  disease.  Among  adults,  alcohol  drinkers 
are  the  first  to  succumb  to  pneumonia,  typhoid,  and  tuber- 
culosis. 

Alcohol  and  length  of  life.  —  The  person  who  uses  alcohol 
in  any  of  its  forms  is  less  likely  to  live  as  long  or  to 
work  so  efficiently  as  the  one  who  does  not.  Alcohol  quick- 
ens the  circulation  and  weakens  the  walls  of  the  blood  ves- 
sels. Professor  Metchnikoff,  the  eminent  French  scholar, 
who  has  been  devoting  his  labors  to  the  solution  of  the 
problem  of  "  old  age,"  advocates  entire  abstinence  from 
alcohol,  because  it  leads  to  degeneration  of  the  arteries,  a 
common  cause  of  death  among  Americans  who  have  been 
prominent  in  the  business  world  and  the  professions.  It  is 
a  combination  of  overwork,  insufficient  rest,  and  overstim- 
ulation  that  kills  off  the  active,  hustling  American  before 
his  time  and  puts  an  end  to  his  usefulness.  In  the  city  of 
Leipzig  lived  a  man  who  wanted  to  know  if  the  men  who 
drink  much  alcohol  are  sick  more  often  than  those  who 
are  not  habitual  drinkers,  and  if  the  first  set  of  men  live 
as  long  as  the  others.  He  went  to  a  prominent  insurance 
company  and  obtained  the  facts  about  a  large  number 
of  men,  the  sum  of  whose  ages  reached  nearly  one  mil- 
lion (952,874)  years.  He  arranged  the  ages  at  which  these 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


men  had  been  sick,  and  at  which  they  had  died,  by  periods 
of  ten  years,  thus :  — 


AGE 

No.  OF  NON- 
DRINKERS  SICK 

No.  OF 
DRINKERS  SICK 

No.  OF  NON- 
DRINKERS  DYING 

No.  or 
DRINKERS  DYING 

15-24 

364 

657 

25-34 

368 

973 

53 

122 

35-44 

422 

1196 

97 

284 

45-54 

487 

1270 

I67 

372 

55-64 

561 

1490 

298 

364 

65-74 

713 

2090 

580 

746 

Interpreting  these  figures  by  percentages,  he  found  that 
for  every  100  non-drinkers,  between  the  ages  of  15  and  24, 
who  had  been  sick,  there  were  180  drinkers  who  had  been 
sick.  Arranged  in  columns  (the  black  representing  those 
who  drink)  the  results  were  as  follows :  — 


ALCOHOL  AND  TOBACCO  57 

Study  these  tables  carefully  and  work  out  for  yourself 
just  how  much  risk  of  disease  and  death  you  incur  by 
drinking. 

Alcohol  and  accidents.  —  Every  effort,  either  mental  or 
physical,  involves  the  expenditure  of  a  certain  amount  of 
energy,  which,  in  normal  health,  is  restored  from  day  to  day 
by  proper  attention  to  air,  food,  sleep,  and  hygiene. 

Even  a  moderate  use  of  alcohol  is  dangerous,  especially 
to  the  worker.  It  interferes  with  the  steadiness  of  nerve 
action  and  with  normal  judgment,  and  so  becomes  a  fre- 
quent cause  of  accidents  in  the  industrial  world. 

It  is  believed  that  the  largest  number  of  accidents  in 
shops  and  mills  takes  place  on  Monday,  because  the  alcohol 
that  is  drunk  on  Sunday  takes  away  the  skill  and  attentive 
care  of  the  workman.  To  prove  the  truth  of  this  opinion, 
the  accidents  of  the  building  trades  in  Zurich  were  studied 
during  a  period  of  six  years,  with  the  result  shown  by  this 
table :  — 


1900 


1901 


1902 


1903 


1905 


1906 


The  heavy  black  lines  represent  the  accidents  on  Mon- 
days ;  the  light  lines,  the  accidents  on  the  other  days  of  the 
week.  There  are  thus  about  three  accidents  on  Mondays 
to  two  on  the  other  days. 


58  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

Alcohol  and  assaults.  — A  famous  German  scientist  made  a 
recent  study  of  the  days  of  the  week  on  which  a  number  of 
assaults  occurred  and  the  places  where  they  were  committed. 
He  found  that  628  assaults  were  made  on  Sundays  and  holi- 
days, 182  on  Mondays,  95  on  Tuesdays,  67  on  Wednesdays, 
62  on  Thursdays,  82  on  Fridays,  and  94  on  Saturdays. 

Seven  hundred  and  forty-two  of  the  assaults  were  made 
in  the  saloon,  86  at  home,  98  on  the  street,  87  at  work  hours, 
and  102  in  unknown  places. 

Tobacco.  —  In  connection  with  the  use  of  alcohol,  we 
must  consider  the  question  of  tobacco  and  what  it  does  not 
do  for  the  human  machine. 

While,  as  we  have  pointed  out,  in  rare  cases  of  sickness  or 
emergency,  an  alcoholic  stimulant  may  be  considered  of 
some  value,  it  is  very  difficult  indeed  to  find  even  so  slight 
a  reason  for  the  use  of  tobacco. 

Tobacco  a  poison.  —  Tobacco  is  not  a  food,  nor  a  sub- 
stitute for  food.  It  does  not  meet  the  body's  need  of  water, 
and  the  smoker  of  tobacco  is  very,  likely  to  become  a  drinker 
of  alcohol.  Tobacco  does  not  help  the  lungs  to  take  in  air. 
On  the  contrary,  it  hinders  the  work  of  the  minute  air  cells 
in  putting  oxygen  into  the  blood.  The  presence  of  oxygen 
in  the  human  system  is  necessary  to  life,  but  the  habitual 
smoker  shuts  down  the  normal  supply  of  oxygen,  so  that 
his  tissues  become  impaired  or  broken  down. 

A  noted  physician  says  that  tobacco  is  really  a  poison 
and  that  in  the  mode  and  intensity  of  its  action  it  cor- 
responds to  prussic  acid.  He  mentions  a  case  where  a  fatal 
result  followed  in  three  minutes,  after  a  poisonous  dose  of 
nicotine  had  been  given.  In  another  case,  death  occurred 
in  five  minutes. 


ALCOHOL  AND   TOBACCO  59 

The  effects  may  be  bad  enough  in  the  adult  user  of 
tobacco,  but  they  are  likely  to  be  far  worse  in  the  boy  and 
cause  an  impairment  of  growth  and  early  physical  pros- 
tration. 

Cigarette  smoking.  —  Cigarette  smoking  is  the  most 
harmful  of  all  the  tobacco  habits.  Because  the  cigarette  is 
small  and  cheap,  it  is  within  the  reach  of  the  average  boy. 
Most  boys  learn  to  smoke  through  using  cigarettes,  or  the 
butts  of  cigarettes  given  them  by  older  boys.  Inhaling 
the  smoke  of  cigarettes,  that  is,  the  taking  of  the  smoke  into 
the  lungs,  is  especially  dangerous.  In  this  way,  a  greater 
quantity  of  the  poison  gets  into  the  system. 

Cigarette  smoking  irritates  the  delicate  membranes  of 
the  mouth,  throat,  and  lungs,  renders  them  unable  to  do 
their  proper  work,  and  also  partly  paralyzes  the  nerves  that 
control  the  breathing,  so  that  the  blood  suffers  from  want 
of  air.  It  also  interferes  with  the  regular  action  of  the  heart, 
which  is  obliged  to  work  much  harder  and  yet  is  unable  to 
pump  as  good  blood  through  the  body  as  formerly.  It\ 
constantly  overstimulates  the  stomach,  so  that  the  digestive/ 
juices  are  secreted  when  they  are  not  needed  and  the  stonw 
ach  becomes  tired  and  weak.  As  a  result,  a  boy  cannot; 
digest  his  food  properly  and  his  body  is  half  starved. 

Cigarettes  injure  his  nervous  system,  so  that  he  cannot 
sleep  so  much  or  so  soundly  as  he  should.  He  becomes  tired, 
lazy,  and  unwilling  to  exert  himself  in  the  proper  exercise 
a  growing  boy  should  have. 

All  of  these  interruptions  stop  the  boy's  growth,  and  he 
becomes  a  weakling,  stunted  in  body  and  mind,  though  per- 
haps with  the  appearance  of  brightness.  Diseased  in  body 
and  mind,  is  it  a  wonder  that  his  moral  sense  also  becomes 


60  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

perverted?  Irresponsible  and  with  no  interest  in  sports, 
studies,  or  honest  work,  a  cigarette  fiend  may  soon  drift  into 
crime.  The  record  of  fifteen  boys  recently  sentenced  for 
crimes  showed  that  ten  of  them  had  stolen  to  get  the  means 
of  buying  cigarettes. 

Tobacco  and  success.  —  From  a  recent  study  made  in  our 
public  schools,  it  was  found  that  the  cigarette  smokers  were 
more  nervous,  had  poorer  memories,  poorer  eyesight  and 
hearing,  worse  manners,  were  more  unclean  in  their  persons, 
more  untidy  in  their  dress,  took  a  lower  rank  in  their  studies, 
failed  more  often  to  make  their  promotions,  were  older, 
slower  workers,  more  untruthful,  and,  altogether,  were 
greatly  inferior  in  physical,  mental,  and  moral  development 
to  their  classmates  who  did  not  smoke. 

It  is  stated  by  an  eminent  authority,  that,  in  fifty  years,  a 
tobacco  user  never  took  first  honors  at  Harvard. 

Napoleon  III  of  France  ordered  an  investigation  of  boys 
in  the  government  training  schools  of  that  country,  and 
found  the  smokers  so  inferior  in  physique,  intellect,  and 
morals,  that  the  use  of  tobacco  was  strictly  prohibited  in  all 
of  the  schools  under  government  supervision. 

In  the  United  States,  it  is  found  increasingly  difficult  to 
get  suitable  men  for  the  army  and  navy.  There  are  always 
plenty  of  men  to  enlist,  but  few  of  them  are  found  fit  for 
service.  The  most  important  cause  of  this  unfitness  is 
stated  to  be  the  "  tobacco  heart "  from  which  so  many  of 
the  applicants  suffer. 

If  a  boy  is  ambitious  to  win  a  worthy,  honorable  success 
in  life,  he  cannot  be  a  cigarette  smoker.  There  are  so  many 
competitors  in  the  business  world  for  the  good  positions, 
that  an  employer  will  always  pick  out  the  applicant  who 


ALCOHOL  AND  TOBACCO  61 

has  the  best  equipment  in  health,  brains,  and  morals. 
Many  employers  will  simply  glance  at  a  boy's  hands  when 
he  applies  for  work,  and  the  telltale  yellow  stain  on  his 
fingers  is  enough.  His  limitations  are  at  once  apparent. 
He  is  told  more  or  less  politely  that  his  services  will  not  be 
required. 

How  can  a  working  boy  afford  to  smoke  ?  The  cost  of  a 
small  cigarette  is  trifling,  but,  as  the  habit  grows,  the  cost  of 
"  a  smoke  "  multiplied  by  its  frequency,  by  the  days,  months, 
and  years,  represents  a  very  great  waste  in  real  money,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  tremendous  waste  in  physical  and  mental 
power. 

Nobody  really  needs  to  smoke  tobacco  or  to  drink  alcohol. 
If  you  do  it  at  first,  "  just  for  fun  "  or  the  excitement  of  it, 
you  must  face  the  fact  that,  in  consequence  of  the  habits  that 
fasten  themselves  upon  you,  you  will  be  obliged  to  give  up 
very  many  of  the  wholesome,  natural  pleasures  of  life  that 
mean  so  much  to  the  boy  and  man. 

And,  if  you  fall  into  the  way  of  using  these  things,  be- 
cause you  think  either  is  an  aid  or  rest  or  stimulant  when 
you  are  tired  and  discouraged,  just  reflect  how  many  tonics 
and  restoratives  Nature  supplies  at  no  cost  whatever. 

REMEMBER 

1.  Alcohol  is  only  a  stimulant,  a  whip  to  the  tired  or  ir- 

ritated body.     It  is  not  a  real  food. 

2.  A  craving  for  alcohol  and  tobacco  is  caused  by  weakness 

or  nervousness  which  should  be  combated  by  hy- 
gienic measures. 

3.  The  use  of  alcohol  is  due  to  lack  of  self-control. 


62  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

4.  Alcohol  decreases  resistance  to  disease,  and  increases 

trouble  of  all  kinds. 

5.  Tobacco  tends  to  cause  sickness,  malnutrition,  laziness, 

and   often   moral   depravity.      It   interferes   with 
growth  and  success  in  school  and  in  business. 

6.  Very  few  business  men  will  engage  a  boy  who  smokes 

cigarettes. 

7.  If  you  need  a  tonic,  spend  more  time  out  of  doors. 

8.  If  your  body  is  tired,  give  it  more  rest  and  sleep. 

9.  Fatigue  calls  for  rest  or  change  in  one's  routine,  and 

not  the  excitations  produced  by  stimulants. 

10.  Your  body  should  be  fed  with  wholesome  foods,  not 

with  poisons. 

11.  It  does  not  make  one  more  manly  to  smoke  or  drink. 

Every  one,  even  the  smoker  and  drinker,  respects 
the  man  who  does  neither. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE   NOON  HOUR 

Getting  ready  for  lunch.  —  The  noon  hour  is  a  welcome 
break  in  the  working  day,  particularly  if  the  worker  has  been 
obliged  to  sit  or  stand  steadily  throughout  the  morning, 
or  if  the  nature  of  the  work  has  cramped  the  body  in  an 
unnatural  position. 

The  first  thing  to  do  is  to  cleanse  the  hands  and  particu- 
larly the  finger  nails  with  hot  water  and  soap.  Ordinary 
dirt  is  bad  enough,  but  some  factory  dirt  is  actually  poison- 
ous. If  you  have  your  own  towel  as  you  should,  wash  your 
face  whether  it  needs  it  or  not,  just  for  the  sake  of  feeling 
better.  As  a  simple  sanitary  precaution  the  washing  of  the 
hands  before  eating  ought  to  become  a  life  rule.  Next 
cleanse  the  stomach  by  drinking  half  a  glass  of  water,  and 
you  are  ready  for  lunch. 

The  place  for  lunch.  —  Many  workers  in  shops,  and  par- 
ticularly in  offices,  get  their  lunches  outside.  These  are 
fortunately  situated,  for  they  have  a  chance  to  get  a  little 
change  from  the  monotony  of  their  work  and  to  breathe  in 
fresh  air.  A  good  many  workers,  however,  choose  their 
midday  meals  very  unwisely.  The  lunch  should  be  of  more 
nourishing  food  than  a  piece  of  pie  and  a  cup  of  tea,  or  a 
combination  of  coffee  and  doughnuts.  Articles  like  these 
cause  indigestion,  headaches,  constipation,  nervous  irrita- 

63 


64 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 


bility,  especially  when  they  are  swallowed  hastily,  half- 
chewed. 

Take  time  to  eat  slowly;  even  if  you  do  not  eat  quite  so 
much,  your  food  will  do  you  more  good.  Wholesome  food, 
well  digested,  has  more  to  do  with  energy  and  business 
ability  than  most  young  workers  realize. 

It  will  not  take  you  long  to  find  out  which  restaurant  or 
lunch  room  within  easy  walking  distance  of  your  work  gives 


Choose  the  clean,  airy  restaurant 

the  best  quality  of  food,  the  neatest  and  cleanest  service,  at 
the  most  reasonable  prices.  Cheapness  does  not  mean 
quantity.  Your  food  should  be  clean,  of  good  quality,  and 
well  prepared,  in  order  to  give  the  best  results  in  the  way 
of  nourishment. 
Avoid  the  lunch  room  which  swarms  with  flies,  where  the 


THE  NOON  HOUR  65 

tables  are  sloppy  and  dirty,  the  plates  and  dishes  half 
washed,  and  where  the  waiters,  in  soiled,  greasy  clothing, 
and  with  dirty  hands  and  unclean  finger  nails,  are  allowed 
to  serve  food. 

In  any  clean,  dairy  lunch  place,  you  will  be  able  to  buy 
good  nourishing  food  very  cheaply.  A  bowl  of  bread  and 
milk,  milk  and  crackers,  bread  and  butter  and  fruit,  cocoa 
and  buns,  sandwiches,  or  a  dish  of  soup  will  give  you  more 
working  power  than  pastries,  meats,  hot  breads,  tea,  and 
coffee.  As  you  must  spend  the  rest  of  the  day  in  active 
work,  a  few  wholesome  articles  of  food,  well  chewed,  will 
do  you  more  good  than  a  variety  of  heavy  foods. 

If  you  buy  your  lunch  from  the  delicatessen  shop  or 
grocer,  or  from  the  street  vender,  apply  the  same  rule  of 
cleanliness.  Don't  forget  to  wash  the  fruit  you  buy  from 
the  pushcart  man  before  you  eat  it.  He  may  be  a  vender  of 
disease  as  well  as  of 
oranges,  grapes,  and 
apples.  The  fine  dirt 
of  the  street,  filled  * 
with  the  germs  of 
all  manner  of  disease, 
the  dried  sputum  of 
human  beings,  and  the 
excretions  of  animals,  A  cracker  carton  makes  an  excellent  lunch  box 
settles  on  the  fruit  that  is  sold  to  you.  If  you  stopped  to 
think,  you  would  not  be  able  to  eat  this  fruit  just  as  you  buy 
it.  The  oranges  and  bananas  may  be  peeled,  the  apples, 
pears,  and  peaches  are  sometimes  pared,  but  grapes,  cher- 
ries, and  figs  are  usually  taken  right  into  the  mouth. 

The  lunch  box.  —  If  you  find  it  cheaper  to  bring  your 


66 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


lunch  from  home,  see  to  it  yourself  that  your  lunch  box  is 
emptied  out  every  night,  cleansed,  and  aired.  Use  a  paper 
cracker  box  that  you  can  throw  away,  or  purchase  a  fold- 
ing box  of  tin  from  which  you  can  wash  the  stale  flavor 

of  yesterday's  lunch. 
Good  bread  and  but- 
ter, cheese,  fruit,  sand- 
wiches made  of  eggs, 
peanut  butter,  Ameri- 
can or  Swiss  cheese,  or 
any  cheese  that  can 
be  spread,  homemade 
jams  and  jellies,  are 
more  nourishing  and 
appetizing  than 
lunches  of  rich,  heavy 
cakes,  pies,  and  pick- 
les. Vary  the  diet 
by  having  rye,  whole 
wheat,  or  graham 
bread,  sometimes,  instead  of  the  fine  white  kind.  A  little 
jar  of  prunes  or  other  stewed  fruit,  apple  sauce,  or  a  baked 
apple  will  go  well  with  the  bread.  If  you  have  some  one 
to  make  it  for  you,  a  cup  custard  occasionally  will  be  a 
pleasant  and  nourishing  change.  If  you  buy  something  to 
drink  with  your  lunch,  by  all  means  let  it  be  milk,  rather 
than  tea  or  coflfee.  Milk  is  a  food  as  well  as  a  drink.  In 
the  long  run  beer  never  pays. 

Fresh  air  at  noon.  —  Whether  you  are  a  "  time-worker  "  or 
a  "  pieceworker,"  whether  your  lunch  time  is  thirty  or  sixty 
minutes,  try  to  get  out  every  day  for  a  few  breaths  of  fresh 


A  folding  lunch  box  is  easily  kept  clean 


THE  NOON  HOUR  67 

air.  Better  to  forfeit  a  little  money  at  the  noon  hour,  than 
to  endanger  your  health  by  overwork  and  lack  of  pure  air 
in  your  lungs.  So,  unless  the  weather  is  very  bad  and  you 
are  not  protected  against  it,  go  out  every  day  for  a  brisk 
walk,  even  if  it  is  just  around  the  block,  and  breathe.  Keep 
your  mouth  closed  and  take  in  long  breaths  of  air  very 
slowly,  exhaling  them  just  as  slowly. 

Don't  go  out  to  smoke.  A  great  many  boys  fall  easily 
into  the  habit  of  smoking  cigarettes  because  they  do  not  get 
enough  to  eat.  After  you  become  a  wage  earner,  you  are  in 
a  position  to  use  your  good  sense  and  judgment  and  can 
select  for  yourself  the  foods  that  will  build  up  body  and 
brain. 

A  nourishing  lunch,  well  chewed,  and  a  brisk  walk  in  the 
fresh  air  will  bring  their  reward  in  renewed  energy,  better 
circulation,  steadier  nerves,  and  happier  spirits.  You  will 
go  back  to  your  machine,  bench,  or  desk,  feeling  refreshed 
and  equal  to  the  afternoon's  work,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
work  of  to-morrow,  next  week,  and  next  year. 

State  laws.  —  A  few  of  the  states  have  already  regulated 
the  time  to  be  allowed  for  the  noonday  meal,  but  the  law 
should  be  generally  introduced,  in  order  that  the  workers 
may  have  every  opportunity  to  rest  and  relax  from  the 
morning's  efforts,  as  well  as  to  eat  in  comfort. 

The  General  Labor  Laws  of  the  state  of  New  York  specify 
that  "  in  each  factory  at  least  sixty  minutes  shall  be  allowed 
for  the  noonday  meal,  unless  the  factory  inspector  shall  per- 
mit a  shorter  time." 

As  a  result  of  the  investigation  made  by  the  Secretary  of 
Commerce  and  Labor  of  the  United  States  into  the  condi- 
tion of  women  and  children  wage  earners  in  the  ready-made 


68  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

clothing  industry  in  this  country,  it  was  found  that  very 
few  out  of  many  factories  visited  made  any  provision  for 
lunch  places  for  the  workers. 

A  model  lunch  room.  —  In  the  best  of  these  factories  a 
room  is  partitioned  off  from  the  workroom  and  is  fitted  up 
with  a  gas  range,  coffee  urns,  and  all  necessary  cooking 
utensils.  The  tables  are  covered  with  clean  white  table- 
cloths, and  silver  knives  and  forks  are  provided.  The 
owners  of  the  establishment,  the  foremen,  and  heads  of 
departments  usually  eat  here  with  the  employees.  Good, 
plain  food,  well  cooked  and  neatly  served,  is  furnished  at  a 
very  reasonable  cost  and  the  bill  of  fare  is  changed  daily. 
Pure  milk  is  supplied  in  bottles. 

The  employee  takes  a  tin  tray  on  entering  the  lunch  room, 
goes  to  the  serving  table,  where  his  order  is  placed  on  the 
tray,  and  then  selects  a  place  at  one  of  the  tables  where  he 
is  able  to  eat  his  noonday  meal  in  comfort. 

Management  of  the  lunch  hour.  —  Where  no  room  is 
specially  set  apart  as  a  lunch  room,  some  firms  supply  fold- 
ing tables  which  can  be  set  up  in  the  workroom,  and  allow 
their  employees  to  make  coffee  at  lunch  time.  In  many 
shops  it  is  the  custom  for  peddlers  to  come  around  at  noon 
and  to  supply  the  workers  with  fruit,  sandwiches,  cakes, 
candy,  milk,  lemonade,  soda  water,  or  whatever  they  wish 
to  buy. 

This  is  especially  the  case  in  large  cities,  where  food 
venders  are  numerous  and  a  great  many  workers  depend  on 
them  for  the  noonday  meal. 

In  many  factories,  a  club  of  girls  —  or  men  —  will  send 
one  of  their  number  outdoors  at  the  noon  hour  to  buy  the 
food  needed.  Sandwiches,  salads,  canned  goods,  bread  and 


THE  NOON  HOUR  69 

butter,  cakes,  pies,  tea,  coffee,  or  milk  may  be  brought  from 
a  nearby  restaurant  or  delicatessen  shop,  while  fruit  and 
candy  may  be  bought  from  the  street  vender.  Sometimes, 
all  of  the  food  needed  at  the  noonday  meal  is  bought  from 
the  pushcart  in  the  street. 

In  the  absence  of  lunch  places,  the  workers  eat  their  food 
in  the  workroom,  but  as  so  many  factory  workers  are  what 
is  known  as  "  pieceworkers,"  they  take  no  more  time  than 
is  absolutely  necessary,  sometimes  eating  their  food  with- 
out stopping  their  work.  Even  the  employees  who  do  not 
eat  the  noonday  meal  in  the  shop,  usually  hurry  back  and 
start  working  just  as  soon  as  possible,  in  order  to  lose  no 
time. 

In  cotton  mills  and  glass  works,  men  and  women  both  eat 
in  the  workrooms,  or  out  of  doors,  when  the  weather  is 
pleasant.  Many  of  the  women  workers  in  these  trades  are 
not  provided  with  chairs  or  stools  while  at  work,  so  they 
are  obliged  to  use  as  seats,  the  tables,  benches,  boxes,  or 
anything  that  happens  to  be  at  hand. 

Evidently  this  system  is  all  wrong.  The  body  cannot 
get  good  results  from  food  eaten  in  haste  and  discomfort, 
in  the  midst  of  unattractive,  if  not  positively  unhealthful, 
surroundings. 

The  importance  of  rest  at  noon.  —  An  interesting  experi- 
ment was  made  by  a  physician,  who  gave  his  two  dogs 
their  breakfasts  of  the  same  food  and  under  exactly  the  same 
conditions.  Then  one  dog  was  put  in  his  comfortable  ken- 
nel to  lie  down  and  sleep,  while  the  other  dog  was  taken  out 
with  his  master,  who  drove  a  long  distance  into  the  country, 
the  dog  running  beside  the  carriage.  On  coming  back,  the 
physician  examined  the  dogs'  stomachs  and  found  that  the 


70         HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

food  given  to  the  first  dog  had  been  digested  and  had  passed 
into  the  blood,  while  the  food  of  the  dog  that  had  been 
running  was  still  in  his  stomach,  undigested. 

This  shows  that  when  we  work  very  hard,  using  the  blood 
in  active  muscular  or  mental  work,  the  digestive  juices  do 
not  flow  and  digestion  cannot  go  on.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, food  is  nothing  but  a  burden  to  the  body.  Many 
a  worker  digests  his  breakfast,  lunch,  and  dinner,  if  at  all, 
after  he  goes  to  bed  at  night.  During  his  meals  and  be- 
tween them,  he  has  been  exerting  himself,  or  is  worried, 
hurried,  nervous,  and  irritable.  The  stomach  has  no 
chance  at  all  and  has  to  wait  until  the  worker  is  asleep  be- 
fore it  can  commence  to  turn  the  food  into  blood,  that  will 
build  up  the  worn-out  cells  and  tissues. 

This  manner  of  living  certainly  does  not  pay  the  worker, 
who  has  a  right  to  such  conditions  in  the  shop  or  factory 
as  will  keep  him  in  just  as  good  working  order  as  the  ma- 
chine he  runs. 

Aids  to  digestion.  —  Music,  cheerful  conversation,  rest, 
and  leisure  in  eating  are  all  aids  to  digestion  and  help  to 
make  the  workers  more  efficient  and  happy. 

At  a  large  manufacturing  plant  in  the  Middle  West,  the 
employees  decided  they  needed  a  clubhouse,  so  they  talked 
the  matter  over  with  the  management  and  secured  a  house 
close  by  the  works.  The  company  furnishes  room,  light,  and 
heat,  and  a  committee  of  employees  manage  the  club,  serv- 
ing from  300  to  400  people  every  day  with  good,  warm, 
nourishing  food  at  a  cost  of  10  to  20  cents.  The  receipts 
pay  for  all  expenses,  and  the  committee  are  able  to  lay  aside 
a  few  dollars  each  week  towards  future  improvements.  A 
phonograph  fitted  with  records  of  the  best  classical  and 


THE  NOON  HOUR  71 

popular  music  entertains  the  men  during  the  noon  hour, 
and  they  return  to  their  work  refreshed  in  mind  and 
body. 

An  attractive,  well-furnished  room,  in  which  the  women 
employees  of  this  same  firm  can  eat  their  lunches,  rest, 
read,  and  have  a  social  time  during  the  noon  hour,  has 
proved  profitable  to  the  company  as  well  as  to  the  girls. 
Formerly,  50  per  cent  of  the  girls  were  constantly  leaving 
their  employ,  but  now  the  work  conditions  are  so  attractive 
that  there  are  always  applicants  waiting  for  a  vacancy. 

In  another  well-organized  factory  employing  about  1000 
people,  in  addition  to  the  comfortable  lunch  rooms  for  men 
and  women  employees,  opportunities  are  given  for  dancing 
during  the  recreation  hour,  the  musicians  being  volunteers 
from  the  working  force.  A  reading  room  and  library  have 
also  been  installed,  which  are  well  patronized  by  the 
workers. 

Some  of  the  best  department  stores  also  make  provisions 
for  lunch  and  rest  rooms  for  employees,  though  at  present 
it  is  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule  for  employers  to 
furnish  lunch  places  for  their  workers,  for  the  law  does  not 
require  it.  Employers  are  as  a  rule  far-sighted  enough  to 
see  the  practical  results  of  such  arrangements. 

THE   NOON  HOUR   ROUTINE 

1.  Clean  up  and  take  a  drink  of  water. 

2.  Get  out  of  the  shop  if  possible. 

3.  Fresh  air  and  change  are  quite  as  important  as  food. 

4.  Eat  clean  food  with  clean  hands  in  clean  places. 

5.  Don't  eat  street  dirt  on  food  purchased  from  pushcarts. 

6.  How  you  chew  is  as  important  as  what  you  chew. 


72  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

7.  Good  company  and  cheerful  conversation  are  the  best 

sauces. 

8.  Milk  is  more  nourishing  than  coffee  and  either  is  better 

than  beer. 

9.  Give  the  food  a  chance  to  do  you  good  after  you  have 

spent  your  money  for  it,  by  taking  a  rest  or  a  little 
quiet  recreation  after  you  have  finished  eating. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

HYGIENE  OF  THE  WORKROOM 

Proper  conditions  for  the  workroom.  —  A  sanitary  work- 
shop demands  enough  space  in  which  the  individual  may  do 
his  work  comfortably,  an  even  temperature,  a  proper  sup- 
ply of  fresh  air,  neither  too  dry  nor  too  moist,  good  light- 
ing, pure  drinking  water,  a  general  condition  of  cleanliness, 
and  proper  facilities  for  the  workers  in  the  way  of  clothes 
closets,  wash  rooms,  and  toilets. 

Space.  —  Many  employers  make  the  mistake  of  crowding 
too  many  workers  into  a  small  space.  The  passageways 
are  too  narrow  for  safety,  and  the  operators  of  machines 
daily  risk  their  lives  by  being  exposed  to  gears,  pulleys, 
belts,  and  other  moving  parts.  If  you  know  such  condi- 
tions to  exist  in  a  factory,  avoid  working  there,  and  do  not 
sacrifice  your  health  and  possibly  your  life.  The  factory 
laws  of  New  York  allow  250  cubic  feet  of  air  space  to  each 
worker. 

It  was  Shakespeare  who  said,  "  I  am  in  health  —  I 
breathe." 

Ventilation.  —  One  can  manage  to  live  for  days  and  days 
without  food,  as  has  been  shown  by  explorers,  and  workers 
who  have  been  trapped  in  mines  and  quarries;  without 
water,  one  can  exist  for  a  shorter  time ;  but,  if  the  air  supply 
is  completely  cut  off,  one  will  die  in  less  than  ten  minutes. 

The  outdoor  worker  is  likely  to  live  longer  and  be  more 

73 


74 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


healthy  than  the  average  indoor  worker,  because  of  his 
opportunity  to  breathe  in  a  plentiful  supply  of  pure  air. 

Effects  of  impure  air.  —  There  is  no  doubt  that  impure 
air  is  one  of  the  most  serious  dangers  to  which  the  indoor 
worker  is  exposed.  The  air  in  houses  and  workshops  is 


A  light  and  well-ventilated  workshop 

soon  filled  with  the  impurities  and  poisonous  wastes  cast 
out  by  the  people  who  breathe  it  in  and  out,  over  and  over 
again,  to  say  nothing  of  the  dust,  germs,  and  countless  tiny 
particles  of  injurious  material  that  get  into  the  air  from 
the  work  itself. 


HYGIENE  OF   THE  WORKROOM  75 

The  breathing  in  of  dirty  air  is  just  as  harmful  as  the 
drinking  of  impure  water.  People  who  would  not  think  of 
bathing  in  the  same  water  in  which  another  person  has 
bathed,  sit  in  crowded  theaters  or  moving-picture  halls,  or 
work  in  close,  dusty  rooms,  breathing  the  air  that  is  loaded 
with  the  impurities  cast  off  by  other  people. 

Working  in  dusty,  badly  ventilated  rooms  is  responsible 
for  many  diseases,  particularly  of  the  lungs.  The  best  phy- 
sicians prescribe  pure,  fresh  air  as  the  principal  part  of  the 
treatment  for  tuberculosis.  How  much  more  important, 
then,  is  fresh  air  in  the  prevention  of  such  diseases! 

Overheated,  poorly  ventilated  rooms  also  tend,  by  affect- 
ing the  digestive  organs,  to  lessen  the  body's  resistance  to 
disease;  for  our  food,  if  it  is  to  do  us  good,  must  be  combined 
with  the  oxygen  in  the  air  we  take  into  the  body.  The 
headache,  dizziness,  faintness,  loss  of  appetite,  low  vitality, 
and  fatigue  from  which  so  many  shop  workers  suffer  may 
be  traced  to  the  same  lack  of  the  life-giving  principle  in  the 
air  that  is  breathed.  Again,  it  is  the  oxygen  that  we  take 
into  our  blood  that  enables  the  body  to  keep  itself  warm ; 
and  when,  instead  of  the  oxygen,  we  breathe  in  air  loaded 
with  impurities,  the  blood  becomes  thin  and  poor  in  quality, 
making  us  much  more  liable,  as  the  saying  goes,  to  "  catch 
cold."  One  does  not  keep  warm  by  shutting  up  all  the 
doors  and  windows  in  a  room.  On  the  contrary,  it  has  been 
found  that  it  takes  more  fuel  to  heat  stale  air  than  is  needed 
to  make  a  well-ventilated  room  comfortable,  even  on  the 
cold  days  of  winter. 

Ventilating  system.  —  The  vice  president  of  a  well-known 
typewriter  factory  recently  told  this  story,  illustrating  the 
advantage  of  having  a  ventilating  system  in  their  factory. 


76 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


"  One  day  in  August,"  he  said,  "  I  took  the  train  from 
New  York  to  Hartford.  It  was  the  hottest  ride  I  think  I 
ever  took.  '  Surely,'  I  said  to  myself,  '  the  factory  will  be 
closed  this  afternoon.'  On  the  contrary,  I  found  everybody 
in  his  place,  the  rooms  comfortable.  In  fact,  I  walked  about 
three  miles  in  the  factory  on  my  tour  of  inspection,  without 

the  slightest  discom- 
fort. This  was  all 
due  to  the  ventilating 
system  that  had  been 
put  in." 

Proper  ventilation 
is  not  so  much  of  a 
problem  in  small  fac- 
tories which  are  not 
overcrowded,  or  where 
open  doors,  windows, 
and  revolving  fans 
can  keep  a  reasonable 
supply  of  fresh  air 
circulating  through 
the  rooms.  If  you 

work  in  factories  or  offices  of  this  kind,  where  the  ventilation 
is  controlled  by  the  workers  themselves,  good  sense  and  con- 
sideration for  the  other  workers  must  be  shown  in  the  matter 
of  keeping  windows  open  or  closed.  As  hot,  impure  air 
has  a  tendency  to  rise,  the  windows  should  be  open  a  little 
from  the  top  to  allow  the  foul  air  to  pass  out,  and  they 
should  be  open  at  the  bottom  to  allow  the  fresh  air  to 
blow  in. 

Certain  windows  in  a  shop  or  office  cannot  be  opened 


Removing  bad  air 


HYGIENE  OF  THE  WORKROOM 


77 


without  causing  discomfort  to  some  one  through  disagree- 
able drafts.  In  such  cases,  the  windows  may  be  fitted  with 
boards  across  the  bottom,  or  the  window  sash  when  raised 
may  rest  on  a  board  that  fits  closely  to  the  frame,  or  the  type 
of  window  ventilator  protecting  from  drafts  and  used  in 
many  offices  and  factories  may  be 
installed.  An  improved  "  window 
board  "  is  made  of  glass  and  placed 
inside  the  window  sill  so  that  the 
window  may  be  opened  six  inches  or 
more  and  the  air  directed  upward. 

In  large  factories,  however,  and 
especially  in  those  in  which  there  is 
a  great  quantity  of  dust  thrown  off 
by  the  work,  a  system  of  proper 
ventilation  can  be  secured  by  forced 
drafts,  by  which  the  dusty,  impure 
air  is  sucked  out  of  the  workroom 
and  a  current  of  fresh  air  blown  in. 

Heating.  —  A  crowded  workroom 
is  much  more  comfortable  if  it  is 
kept  cool.  Extremes  of  heat  and 
cold  should  be  avoided.  For  the 
average  worker,  who  is  properly 
clothed,  the  temperature  should  not  be  allowed  to  rise  above 
68  degrees.  On  the  hottest  days  of  midsummer,  the  workers 
will  do  more  and  better  work  if  there  is  a  system  of  exhausts 
and  cooling  fans. 

Humidity.  —  Excessive  moisture  and  excessive  dryness 
of  the  air  are  both  harmful  to  the  worker.  An  average  hu- 
midity between  60  and  65  per  cent  has  been  found  a  good 


An  improved  window  board 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


standard.  There  are  simple  instruments  to  determine  the 
humidity  of  the  air,  just  as  the  thermometer  measures  heat 
and  cold,  and  these  should  be  installed  in  every  workroom. 
The  health  of  the  worker  is  closely  related  to  safety,  be- 
cause anything  that  tends  to  lower  the  vitality  or  make  the 

worker  less  alert  and 
watchful  increases  the 
chances  of  accidents. 
Statistics  prove  that 
more  accidents  happen 
when  the  worker  is 
fatigued,  or  run  down, 
than  at  any  other  time. 
Lighting. — The  ques- 
tion of  lighting  in  work- 
shops is  also  of  very 
great  importance.  The 
best  light,  of  course,  is 
that  which  makes  it  un- 
necessary to  strain  the 
eyes  even  on  cloudy 

The  hygrodeik,  which  measures  the  humidity      days.        But     in      many 
in  the  air 

factories    and    offices, 

particularly  in  cities,  such  an  ideal   condition  is  seldom 
to  be  found. 

In  a  badly  lighted  shop,  the  worker  is  obliged  to  bring 
his  work  too  close  to  his  eyes,  thereby  causing  strain  which 
may  lead  to  chronic  eye  trouble.  According  to  one  author- 
ity on  this  subject,  the  area  of  the  windows  in  a  shop 
should  equal  at  least  one  sixth  of  the  floor  space.  They 
should  reach  almost  to  the  ceiling,  and  the  glass  should  be 


HYGIENE  OF  THE  WORKROOM 


79 


pure  white,  ribbed  or  prismatic.  In  narrow  streets,  lined 
by  tall  buildings,  windows  made  of  prismatic  glass,  which 
refracts  and  diffuses  the  light,  probably  allow  more  light 
to  enter  the  room  than  any  other  kind.  The  window  glass 
should  always  be  kept  clean. 

It  has  been  stated  that  at  least  80  per  cent  of  head- 
aches are  the  result  of  eyestrain.  As  a  great  many  people 
are  obliged  to  work 
every  day  by  poor 
light  or  artificial  light, 
they  suffer  a  serious 
loss  of  nervous  energy 
that  might  otherwise 
go  into  their  work. 

A  dingy  room  may 
be  greatly  improved 
by  the  frequent  wash- 
ing of  windows  and 
by  whitewashing  the 
walls  at  least  once 
every  year. 

Where  artificial 
lights  are  absolutely 
necessary,  they  should 

•1,1  An  eye  shade  protects  the  eyes  from  direct  light 

De  as  steady  as  pos- 
sible, not  too  glaring,  and  should  not  overheat  the  work- 
room or  burn  up  the  air.     For  these  reasons,  electric  lights 
and  those  known  as  the  mercury  vapor  lights  are  among 
the  best. 

In  addition  to  their  bad  effect  on  the  air  and  the  eyes  of 
the  workers,  open  flames  in  a  workshop  greatly  increase  the 


8o  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

danger  of  fire  in  those  factories  where  light,  flimsy,  or  ex- 
plosive materials  are  handled,  and  where  the  rooms  are 
overcrowded,  giving  the  workers  little  chance  of  escape  if 
a  fire  does  break  out. 

Bad  lighting  is  very  often  the  cause  of  serious  accidents, 
and  statistics  show  that  the  greatest  number  of  accidents  in 
factories  and  workshops  occur  during  the  months  of  the 
year  when  the  days  are  shorter  and  the  natural  light  is  less. 
For  purely  business  reasons,  therefore,  many  owners  and 
managers  have  found  it  wise  to  install  the  very  best  type  of 
electric  lighting  in  their  shops,  thus  preventing  accidents 
and  sickness  among  their  employees. 

Water.  —  Another  matter  of  great  importance  to  the 
worker  is  the  provision  of  pure  drinking  water.  Fresh 
water  of  good  quality  should  be  found  in  every  office  and 
workshop,  if  the  management  expects  the  workers  to  remain 
in  good  condition.  The  human  body,  in  normal  health, 
is  two  thirds  water.  Therefore,  aside  from  the  water 
contained  in  foods,  we  should  drink  freely  of  it  every  day. 
Drink  as  you  commence  work,  before  lunch,  and  at  the 
close  of  the  day  at  least,  and  if  you  can,  in  the  middle  of  the 
morning  and  the  afternoon.  Water  is  needed  by  the  blood 
to  help  it  carry  nourishment  to  every  part  of  the  body.  It 
is  also  necessary  in  helping  the  body  get  rid  of  waste  ma- 
terial. Many  cases  of  catarrh,  constipation,  rheumatism, 
and  colds,  all  of  them  due  to  accumulation  of  waste  in  the 
body,  have  been  cured  simply  through  drinking  two  and 
three  quarts  of  water  daily. 

So  it  is  necessary  that  the  worker  find  plenty  of  good 
water  convenient  during  the  day.  But  the  water  must  be 
pure.  It  has  been  pointed  out  by  a  physician  who  is  an 


HYGIENE  OF  THE  WORKROOM 


81 


authority  on  preventable  diseases,  that  85  per  cent  of  the 
cases  of  typhoid  fever  in  this  country  are  due  to  drinking 
impure  water.  Impure  water  also  causes  stomach  and 


5 


A 

square 

piece 

<3? 
paper 


Fold 
A  OR  ts  B 


along  the  line 
D — C. 


the  point 
F  en  the  line  A C 


point 
B.  over  D 


CUR 


How  to  make  a  paper  drinking  cup  (Chicago  Board  of  Health) 

bowel  troubles,  which  may  make  it  necessary  for  the  worker 
to  be  absent  for  a  day  or  so  at  a  time.  This  means  a  money 
loss  to  the  worker  and  the  employer  loses  the  value  of  the 
worker's  time. 


82 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


Several  years  ago,  a  factory  owner  put  in  a  water  steril- 
izing apparatus  at  a  cost  of  $1500.  He  states  that  it  has 
actually  saved  him  $2000  each  year  since  then,  because  of 
the  greater  efficiency  of  the  workers  and  the  greater  regu- 
larity in  their  attendance. 

When  water  tanks  or  coolers  are  used,  they  should  be 
cleaned  every  day,  and  the  common  drinking  cup  should 

not  be  permitted.  According 
to  the  laws  of  New  York  and 
other  states  it  has  now  been 
abolished. 

If  the  management  does 
not  supply  the  individual 
paper  cups,  it  will  cost  each 
worker  but  a  few  cents  to  get  a 
heavy  glass  or  serviceable  cup, 
which  may  be  kept  clean  and 
strictly  private.  Too  many 
dangerous  and  loathsome  dis- 
eases have  been  spread  through 
the  use  of  a  public  drinking 
cup,  to  allow  the  worker  to 
take  any  risks  in  the  matter. 
Drinking  cups  may  be  made 
of  little  squares  of  paper. 

The  sanitary  drinking  foun- 
tains of  the  "  bubble  "  type 
are  probably  the  best  means  of  providing  clean  -water. 
They  are  now  in  use  in  many  public  places,  schools,  and 
shops  where  a  great  number  of  people  are  employed. 
Towels.  —  The  hygiene  of  the  workroom  includes  the 


Have  your  own  towel,  glass,  and 
soap 


HYGIENE  OF  THE  WORKROOM 


individual  towel,  as  well  as  the  individual  drinking  cup,  as 
many  people  have  been  disabled  or  disfigured  for  life  by 
using  towels  after  they  have  been  infected  by  other  people 
suffering  from  contagious  diseases.  In  this  way  painful 
skin  diseases  are  spread,  and  the  eyes  may  be  infected  and 
become  blind. 

Recently,  a  very  intelligent  man,  doing  useful  work  as  an 
inspector,  was  practically  obliged  to  give  up  his  position, 
because  of  blindness  in  one  eye  that 
came  from  using  a  towel  that  had 
been  infected  by  some  one  else. 
Try  to  keep  a  towel  for  yourself  in 
your  own  locker  or  drawer,  if  you 
have  one,  and  take  it  home  regu- 
larly to  be  washed. 

It  is  a  good  plan,  which  some 
factories  are  already  following,  to 
supply  the  workers  with  paper 
towels  that  are  at  once  cheap  and 
sanitary.  These  towels  come  on 
rolls ;  each  is  perforated  and  can 
be  easily  torn  off  from  the  roll, 
for  individual  use.  When  soiled, 
they  are  thrown  into  the  waste  can  or  basket,  and  later 
burned. 

Waste.  —  Each  factory  should  be  supplied  with  enough 
strong,  metallic  waste  or  refuse  cans,  to  take  care  of  all 
the  trash  that  accumulates  during  the  day.  Not  only  does 
this  plan  result  in  keeping  the  floor  in  a  clean  and  sanitary 
condition,  but  it  positively  reduces  the  danger  of  fire.  Co- 
operate with  your  employers  and  protect  yourself,  as  well 


Danger! 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


as  your  fellow  workers,  against  such  dangers,  by  putting 
into  the  covered  receptacles  provided  all  greasy  rags,  lunch 
papers,  and  the  useless  and  inflammable  waste  that  may 
.come  from  your  work. 

Going  through  the  works  of  a  large  steel  company,  a 
visitor,  seeing  some  rats  scuttle  off,  asked  the  official  who  was 
showing  him  about,  if  the  new  cables  were  ever  found 

broken  or  defective.  "  Why, 
yes,"  he  replied,  "  it  is  a  great 
puzzle  to  us  to  find  out  just  why 
it  is  so,  but  it  is  true  that  many 
of  the  cables  do  not  give  the 
service  they  should."  "  Did  it 
ever  occur  to  you  that  you  are 
raising  a  large  family  of  rats  on 
the  lunch  refuse  that  is  left  lying 
about  the  floors  and  yards?  " 
asked  the  visitor.  The  official 
saw  the  connection  at  once  and 
resolved  to  install  strong,  well- 
covered  cans  to  take  care  of  what 
had  formerly  been  the  food  sup- 
ply of  the  rats.  In  a  short  while  the  works  were  free  from 
these  pests  and  the  cords  and  cables  were  kept  in  better 
condition. 

Handkerchiefs.  —  If  you  are  engaged  in  handling  dan- 
gerous or  poisonous  materials,  be  careful  always  to  keep 
your  hands  away  from  your  mouth  and  eyes,  and  thoroughly 
wash  your  hands,  arms,  and  face  before  eating.  Always  be 
supplied  with  a  clean  pocket  handkerchief;  keep  it  for  your 
nose  and  mouth  and  do  not  use  it  also  as  a  polisher  for  your 


Metallic  waste  can 


HYGIENE  OF  THE  WORKROOM 


shoes  or  as  a  wiping  rag  for  your  machine.  Do  not  cough 
or  sneeze  into  the  air  if  you  can  help  it.  Many  persons, 
unconscious  of  the  fact  that  they  are  suffering  from  tuber- 
culosis, have  spread  the  disease  in  a  crowded  shop  through 
such  carelessness  as  this. 

Spitting.  —  A  sanitary  shop  will  be  well  provided  with 
spittoons  and  will  rigidly  enforce  the  rule  against  spitting 
on  the  floor.  The  dried  sputum  on  the  floor  is  responsible, 
more  than  any  other 
cause,  for  the  wide 
spread  of  tubercu- 
losis in  shops  and 
factories. 

In  this  respect,  as 
in  so  many  others, 
you  can  cooperate 
with  the  management 
for  safety  and  health 
by  doing  the  right 
thing.  Even  if  you 
are  careless  about  your 
own  health,  you  have 
certainly  no  moral 


no 

right  to  endanger  the 
lives  of  your  fellow 
workers. 

Lockers.  —  The  provision  of  suitable  clothes  closets  or 
lockers  should  be  regulated  by  state  law,  but  a  great  many 
far-seeing  employers  are  installing  them  on  their  own  ac- 
count. These  lockers  may  prove  to  be  a  guard  against  the 
spreading  of  contagious  disease,  as  the  clothing  of  the 


86  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

workers  may  carry  the  germs  of  diseases  from  which  mem- 
bers of  their  families  are  suffering.  Lockers  should  be 
strongly  constructed  and  well  ventilated,  so  as  to  keep  the 
belongings  of  the  workers  in  safe  and  hygienic  condition. 
One  employer  has  gone  further  than  this,  in  connecting  a 
heating  system  with  the  lockers,  so  that  on  cold  or  rainy 
days,  the  workers,  when  they  are  ready  to  go  home,  find 
their  outdoor  clothing  warm  and  comfortable. 

In  many  shops,  these  lockers  are  connected  with  the 
wash  room,  so  that  a  man  may  keep  his  belongings  in  the 
same  compartment  where  he  washes  up  after  the  day's 
work.  Each  man  is  given  a  key  to  his  own  locker. 

Wash  rooms.  —  Every  shop  and  factory  should  be  pro- 
vided with  sanitary  water-closets  and  good  washing  facili- 
ties. A  plentiful  supply  of  hot  and  cold  water  and  soap 
is  necessary,  especially  if  the  workers  are  engaged  in  very 
dirty  or  dusty  trades.  In  those  where  the  dust  and  fumes 
are  poisonous,  as  in  the  case  of  lead,  phosphorus,  and  mer- 
cury, every  facility  should  be  given  for  washing  the  hands 
before  eating,  for  cleansing  the  body  by  means  of  shower  or 
spray  baths,  and  for  changing  the  clothing  before  going 
home.  One  of  the  largest  paint  factories  in  the  world  pro- 
vides its  workmen  with  clean  clothing  every  morning.  At 
night,  the  clothes  the  workmen  have  worn  during  the  day 
are  laundered.  Baths  are  insisted  upon,  the  workers  being 
given  time  by  the  company  for  this  purpose.  In  this  way, 
the  management  protects  the  workers  from  much  of  the 
danger  of  lead  poisoning. 

The  factory  inspectors  complain  that  many  of  the  water- 
closets  connected  with  factories  and  shops  are  in  very  bad 
condition.  There  are  usually  too  few  for  the  number  of 


HYGIENE  OF  THE   WORKROOM  87 

workers  employed,  and  are  generally  in  an  unsanitary  and 
unclean  condition. 

Already  some  states  have  taken  up  the  question  of  regu- 
lating the  number  of  toilets  a  factory  should  have,  accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  people  employed  in  it.  Where  there 
are  both  men  and  women,  separate  toilets  are  required. 
One  state  has  distinctly  specified  that  "  when  the  number 
employed  is  more  than  twenty-five  of  either  sex,  there  shall 
be  provided  an  additional  water-closet  for  each  sex  up  to 
the  number  of  50  persons,  and  above  that  number  in  the 
same  proportion." 

Water-closets  should  be  light,  well  ventilated,  and  have 
floors  that  can  be  easily  and  frequently  flushed  out.  The 
workers  themselves  are  often  responsible  for  the  unsanitary 
conditions  that  exist,  through  carelessness  or  an  indecent 
disregard  for  the  rights  of  others. 

Here,  again,  the  value  of  personal  cleanliness  and  personal 
cooperation  with  the  management  must  be  pointed  out,  if 
you  are  to  do  your  share  in  keeping  the  work  place  clean, 
safe,  and  healthful,  not  only  for  yourself  but  for  all  of  those 
who  work  with  you. 

RULES   FOR   THE  WORKROOM 

1.  If  you  cannot  have  out-of-door  work,  be  a  fresh  air  en- 

thusiast and  get  good  ventilation  for  yourself  and 
co-workers;  keep  out  of  doors  as  much  as  possible 
when  not  working. 

2.  Get  good  light  from  above  and  behind,  with  no  shadows 

on  your  work,  if  possible.  Do  not  hold  the  work 
too  near,  and  rest  the  eyes  occasionally  by  looking 


88  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

at  a  distance.     Wear  an  eye  shade  if  the  light  must 
come  from  in  front. 

3.  Drink  a  glass  of  water  at  least  three  times  a  day.     Avoid 

the  common  drinking  cup ;  have  a  cup  of  your  own. 

4.  Have  a  clean  handkerchief  and  use  it. 

5.  Do  not  spit  on  the  floor. 

6.  Keep  your  clothes  locker  clean  and  in  order. 

7.  Do  not  subject  yourself  to  contagion  from  a  dirty  toilet. 


CHAPTER  IX 
FATIGUE 

The  necessity  of  work.  —  In  order  to  live  in  a  self-respect- 
ing manner,  every  one  should  make  good  his  or  her  place 
in  the  world.  Every  one  consumes  something;  therefore, 
every  one  should  produce  something. 

Next  to  being  unable  to  work,  the  greatest  misfortune  is  to 
be  without  work.  Idleness  not  only  causes  want,  suffering, 
and  discontent,  but  it  also  leads  to  physical  and  moral 
degeneration,  and,  finally,  to  vice  and  crime.  The  worker 
usually  lives  longer  and  is  healthier  and  happier  than  the 
idle  person. 

The  mechanism  of  the  average  human  being  creates  a 
certain  amount  of  energy  over  and  above  what  is  needed 
to  keep  the  body  in  good  running  order.  This  fund  of 
energy  must  not  be  allowed  to  go  to  waste.  If  it  does  not 
find  an  outlet  in  useful  work,  it  will  spend  itself  in  ways 
that  are  harmful. 

Capacity  for  work.  —  In  itself,  work  is  a  good  thing.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  is  a  limit  to  every  one's  power  to 
perform  work.  This  limit  varies  in  accordance  with  the 
nature  of  the  work,  the  constitution,  the  personal  habits,  the 
frame  of  mind  of  the  individual,  and  the  conditions  under 
which  the  work  is  performed. 

If  the  body  and  brain  are  forced  to  work  beyond  their 
natural  capacity,  if  the  work  is  too  severe,  or  kept  up  too 
long  at  a  time,  making  it  impossible  to  get  the  required 

89 


90  HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 

amount  of  rest  and  recuperation,  then  the  vitality  is  weak- 
ened, and  sickness  and  disability  will  result  just  as  surely  as 
in  those  occupations  which  are  considered  dangerous  to  the 
worker  on  account  of  dusts,  poisons,  and  accidents. 

Under  normal  conditions,  the  human  body  as  a  machine 
is  greatly  superior  to  a  steam  engine.  Out  of  the  heat  and 
energy  created  by  the  body  in  eight  hours  of  work,  one  fifth 
can  take  the  form  of  mechanical  work.  A  steam  engine  or- 
dinarily is  able  to  use  only  about  one  eighth  of  the  total 
energy  created,  or  set  free.  The  body  makes  better  use  of 
food  than  the  steam  engine  does  of  coal. 

Every  machine,  however,  will  sooner  or  later  break  down, 
if  kept  constantly  at  work,  or  pushed  to  the  limits  of  its 
energy.  Overworking  the  human  machine  to  physical  and 
mental  exhaustion  is  one  of  the  greatest  evils  of  the  present 
age. 

Removal  of  waste.  —  As  we  already  know,  the  human 
body  is  a  great  chemical  laboratory  or  workshop,  where 
changes  are  constantly  going  on  and  where  food  and  air 
are  being  made  over  into  tissues,  blood,  and  energy.  At 
the  same  time,  there  is  a  constant  pulling  down  of  worn-out 
tissues  that  are  turned  into  waste  material  with  every  breath 
we  breathe,  every  thought  we  think,  every  stroke  of  work 
we  perform. 

We  must  get  rid  of  these  poisonous  wastes  through  the 
exhaled  breath,  the  kidneys,  bowels,  and  skin.  Health  is 
really  the  keeping  of  a  true  balance  between  the  income  of 
the  building  materials  of  air,  food,  and  water,  and  the  outgo 
of  the  bodily  wastes  and  refuse.  An  engine  cannot  work 
long  unless  the  ashes  and  clinkers  are  removed;  neither  can 
the  body. 


FATIGUE 


In  working  with  the  muscles  or  brain,  an  increased  supply 
of  blood  is  sent  to  the  parts  where  it  is  needed.  This  is 
because  the  wearing  out  of  the  cells  and  tissues  is  going 
on  more  rapidly  at  these  points. 

Work  can  be  done  only  while  a  muscle  is  contracting. 
The  mind  flashes  a  command  to  a  muscle,  or  set  of  muscles, 
to  do  a  certain  piece  of  work.  The  muscle  contracts,  using 
what  it  needs  of 
the  food  in  the 
cells  and  the  oxy- 
gen in  the  blood 
and  casting  aside 
as  waste  what  it 
cannot  use. 

Cause  of  fa- 
tigue.  -  -  The 
waste  products  re- 
sulting from  the 
manufacture  of 
heat  and  energy 
accumulate  in  the 
system  very  rap- 
idly. If  the  work 
is  too  long  continued,  if  the  supply  of  food  in  the  cells  is 
exhausted,  if  the  oxygen  in  the  blood  is  burned  up,  if  the 
poisonous  wastes  cannot  be  removed  quickly  enough  but  are 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  body  for  any  length  of  time,  then 
the  worker  shows  the  symptoms  of  fatigue. 

By  a  strong  effort  of  will,  we  can  force  our  tired  muscles 
and  brain  to  keep  on  working  after  the  fatigue  point  has 
been  reached;  but  in  doing  so,  we  only  increase  the  fatigue 


Healthy  brain  cell 


Exhausted  brain  cell 


92  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

products  in  the  blood  and  run  the  risk  of  seriously  injuring 
the  nervous  system. 

When  a  muscle  becomes  fatigued,  it  cannot  respond  and 
contract  so  quickly,  and  is  not  able  to  set  free  the  same 
amount  of  energy  as  in  normal  health.  The  structure  of 
the  nerve  cells  then  undergoes  a  change,  on  account  of  the 
circulation  in  the  blood  of  the  poisonous  fatigue  products, 
and  the  kidneys  and  liver  also  become  fatigued.  It  is 
always  noticeable,  in  doing  an  unusual  amount  of  work,  or 
when  the  brain  is  working  with  great  concentration  of  effort, 
that  the  kidneys  are  very  active.  This  is  because  it  is  the 
function  of  the  kidneys  to  drain  off  a  large  proportion  of 
the  wastes  of  the  body,  and,  when  these  are  being  cast  into 
the  blood  at  an  abnormal  rate,  the  kidneys  become  over- 
worked. Were  it  not  for  the  power  that  resides  in  our 
bodies  to  get  rid  of  these  waste  products,  we  should  die 
from  the  effects  of  the  poisonous  materials. 

It  has  been  definitely  proved  that  a  condition  of  fatigue 
is  due  to  the  poisonous  effects  of  the  waste  created  by  over- 
exertion  of  the  body.  Dr.  Thomas  Oliver  illustrates  this 
clearly  in  his  account  of  the  experiment  made  by  injecting 
some  of  the  blood  of  a  fatigued  dog  into  a  perfectly  healthy 
one.  The  dog  receiving  the  fatigue  poison  shortly  after- 
wards showed  signs  of  weariness,  crept  into  a  corner,  and 
went  to  sleep. 

The  fatigue  point.  —  The  fatigue  point,  as  has  already 
been  shown,  differs  with  the  occupation,  the  constitu- 
tion, and  the  personal  habits  of  the  worker.  Some  persons 
are  always  more  easily  tired  than  others,  as  they  have  started 
out  in  life,  evidently,  with  weak  nervous  systems.  Some- 
times this  condition  of  nerve  weakness,  or  neurasthenia,  as 


FATIGUE  93 

it  is  called,  may  be  the  result  of  great  mental  strain  or 
effort.  People  who  have  suffered  what  is  known  as  nervous 
prostration  are  usually  afflicted  with  nerve  weakness  the 
rest  of  their  lives. 

Many  children,  particularly  in  the  congested  districts  of 
our  large  cities,  are  brought  up  badly  nourished,  badly 
clothed,  and  subjected  to  hardships  that  result  in  stunting 
the  growth  of  their  bodies  and  weakening  their  nervous 
systems.  The  children  of  parents  who  work  very  hard  in 
certain  occupations  are  usually  smaller  in  size,  less  intelli- 
gent, and  more  feeble  than  the  children  born  of  healthy 
parents  and  brought  up  with  the  additional  advantages  of 
nourishing  food,  plenty  of  fresh  air,  and  play. 

Thus,  it  can  be  seen  that  every  worker  does  not  start  out 
with  the  same  physical  equipment.  Persons  with  weak 
nervous  systems,  who  become  exhausted  very  quickly, 
need  a  greater  amount  of  care,  rest,  and  recuperation  from 
their  efforts  than  those  endowed  with  more  nervous  endur- 
ance. 

Posture  at  work.  —  There  are  many  occupations  where 
the  effects  of  assuming  a  strained  posture  while  at  work 
are  in  themselves  injurious,  besides  adding  to  the  natural 
fatigue  of  the  worker. 

Shoemakers,  cigar  makers,  tailors,  weavers,  watchmakers, 
engravers,  bookkeepers,  all  suffer  from  cramped  muscles 
and  a  constriction  of  the  chest  that  results  in  shallow  breath- 
ing, which,  taken  in  connection  with  poor  circulation  of  the 
blood  and  other  unhealthy  conditions,  makes  these  workers 
liable  to  tuberculosis  of  the  lungs. 

The  chests  of  shoemakers  who  do  home  work  and  of 
cobblers  show  the  effects  of  the  constant  pressure  against 


94 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


HEAD  UP 


the  last  they  are  obliged  to  hold  between  their  knees.  In 
some  cases  the  chest  bone  and  ribs  are  driven  in  so  far  as 
to  form  a  deep  hollow. 

Sedentary  occupations  combined  with  monotonous  repe- 
tition of  the  same  muscular  efforts  are  especially  fatiguing. 
In  addition  to  the  danger  of  bronchial  and  lung  diseases, 
these  workers  also  suffer  from  indigestion  and  constipation  ; 
as  a  rule,  they  do  not  live  so  long  as  those  workers  whose 

occupations  allow 
greater  freedom  of 
movement. 

No  one  need  allow 
the  body  to  be  dam- 
aged, no  matter  what 
the  work  may  be. 
The  one  strict  rule  is 
this :  keep  the  back 
straight  from  the  hips 
to  the  neck;  keep 
the  chest  high.  If 
you  must  lean  for- 
ward, bend  at  the 
hips.  While  this  may 
be  hard  at  first  and 
fatiguing  for  a  while, 
it  is  worth  the  effort; 
unless  this  is  done, 
the  body  will  become  permanently  bent,  the  chest  contracted, 
and  the  organs  of  the  body,  heart,  lungs,  stomach,  liver, 
and  intestines,  cramped  and  liable  to  disease.  If  the  body 
becomes  tired,  use  nature's  method  of  relieving  it:  stand 


BACK  STRAIGHT 


HIPS  BACK 


Correct  posture  for  work 


FATIGUE  95 

and  stretch,  putting  the  arms  back  of  the  head,  press 
back,  and  take  a  full  breath.  This  usually  induces  a  nat- 
ural, restful  yawn  which  relieves  all  tension. 

Many  occupations  might  be  enumerated  which  cause  an 
abnormal  strain  upon  certain  muscles  of  the  bodies.  Those 
positions  which  require  constant  standing  are  very  fatigu- 
ing ;  among  the  workers  who  suffer  in  this  respect  are  the 
tenders  of  mangles  and  other  machines  in  laundries,  the 
salesmen  and  saleswomen  in  stores,  those  who  are  obliged 
to  stand  while  working  at  machines  in  factories  and  shops, 
motormen,  and  others.  In  addition  to  fatigue,  these  workers 
also  suffer  from  flat-foot,  a  condition  we  have  previously 
considered. 

But  there  are  other  things  that  contribute  to  the  fatigue 
of  the  body  even  more  than  the  nature  of  the  work  and  the 
posture  of  the  body  in  doing  it. 

Work,  too  long  or  too  fast.  — Under  normal  conditions, 
a  reasonable  amount  of  work  is  never  injurious  to  any  one. 
But  the  expenditure  of  energy  must  be  balanced  by  a  proper 
amount  of  rest  and  relaxation.  If  the  body  is  forced  to 
keep  at  work  after  the  fatigue  point  is  reached,  day  after 
day,  without  sufficient  sleep  or  opportunity  to  find  health- 
ful recreation,  the  reserve  fund  of  energy  stored  in  the 
cells  of  the  body  is  used  up ;  and,  if  the  strain  is  continued 
up  to  the  limit  of  exhaustion,  there  may  be  a  sudden  re- 
volt of  the  overtaxed  organism  and  a  collapse  that  may 
prove  disastrous  physically  and  mentally. 

In  connection  with  the  question  of  overstraining  and 
overspeeding  the  human  machine,  we  come  naturally  to  a 
consideration  of  the  proper  length  of  a  working  day.  This 
is  a -matter  which  is  now  being  seriously  studied  in  our 


96  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

country,  and  legislation  regulating  the  number  of  working 
hours  in  certain  occupations  is  increasing  in  the  various 
states. 

The  general  opinion  is  that  the  working  day  in  the 
majority  of  occupations  is  entirely  too  long,  and  that  the 
same  quantity  of  work  could  be  performed  in  fewer  hours 
with  greater  benefits  to  both  employer  and  employed. 

Night  work.  —  In  addition  to  the  evils  resulting  from  long 
working  hours,  we  must  consider  the  effects  of  night  work. 

Since  this  requires  sleeping  in  the  daytime,  it  is 
always  more  or  less  injurious  because  the  worker  cannot 
get  the  sound,  refreshing  sleep  he  needs.  Usually,  when 
the  workers  live  in  small,  crowded  apartments,  in  congested 
districts,  the  noises  that  commence  with  daylight  make  it 
impossible  to  secure  restful  sleep.  The  weather  at  night 
is  also  more  moist  and  chill  than  during  the  daytime,  and, 
if  the  worker  comes  from  a  heated  work  place,  he  runs  a 
great  risk  of  being  made  ill  by  the  sudden  change  of  atmos- 
phere. 

In  those  industrial  plants  where  the  furnaces  are  kept 
going  throughout  the  year,  or  working  seasons,  as  in  the 
case  of  glass  works,  two  shifts  are  kept  constantly  at  work. 
In  many  places  where  two  shifts  are  worked,  it  is  the  cus- 
tom to  have  the  employees  alternate,  that  is,  work  one 
week  during  the  day  and  the  next  week  at  night.  This 
means  that  the  worker  must  learn  to  sleep  one  week  in  the 
daytime  and  the  next  week  in  the  nighttime.  Many 
people  find  it  hard  to  make  this  change  in  their  sleeping 
habits,  and,  consequently,  suffer  from  insomnia.  The  lack 
of  sound,  restful  sleep,  the  irregularity  of  meals,  and  the 
discomfort  of  making  the  change  from  day  to  night  work, 


FATIGUE  97 

all  tend  to  weaken  the  nervous  system  and  to  reduce  the 
worker's  powers  of  resistance  to  disease. 

The  practice  of  keeping  two  shifts  at  work  leads  also 
to  the  evil  of  working  many  hours  over  time.  For  instance, 
in  rush  seasons,  a  laborer  may  work  throughout  his  own 
shift  and  then  part  or  all  of  the  next  shift,  keeping  at 
work  continuously  for  twenty  hours  or  longer.  Such  hours 
mean  a  terrible  strain  upon  the  vitality  and  nervous  en- 
durance of  any  worker,  and  lead  to  exhaustion  and  early 
death. 

While  some  progressive  employers  are  reducing  the  hours 
of  work  for  humane  and  practical  reasons,  much  remains 
to  be  done  in  the  way  of  laws,  strictly  enforced,  as  protec- 
tions from  the  evils  of  overwork  and  industrial  fatigue. 

Proper  working  conditions.  —  Reasonable  work  hours,  a 
proper  amount  of  good  fresh  air  and  a  system  by  which  the 
bad  or  dusty  air  may  be  drawn  off,  good  lighting,  avoiding 
the  fatigue  due  to  eyestrain  and  the  danger  of  accidents, 
pure  drinking  water,  the  providing  of  seats  for  employees, 
especially  women,  a  lunch  period  long  enough  to  allow  the 
workers  to  rest  and  relax  and  to  eat  the  midday  meal  in 
comfort,  —  all  of  these  sanitary  conditions  in  the  workshop 
will  reduce  a  large  part  of  the  fatigue  and  weariness  now 
felt  by  many  industrial  workers. 

The  practice  of  allowing  a  brief  recess  in  the  middle  of 
the  afternoon,  when  most  workers  experience  what  is  called 
"  three  o'clock  fatigue,"  is  now  being  followed  by  a  few 
far-sighted  employers  who  realize  that  the  health  and  vital- 
ity of  the  workers  is  one  of  the  most  important  factors  in 
the  success  of  the  business. 

Remember  that  it  is  only  the  overfatigue  that  is  harmful. 


98  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

A  person  healthily  tired  will  quickly  find  recuperation  in 
rest  and  sleep.  For  this  reason  it  is  highly  important  that 
the  worker  get  enough  sleep  to  repair  the  waste  caused  by 
the  day's  work. 

Personal  habits.  —  The  personal  habits  have  much  to 
do  with  keeping  one  in  good  condition  for  work,  or  in  adding 
to  the  fatigue  due  to  other  causes.  It  is  well  known  that 
intemperance  in  eating  and  drinking  or  overindulgence  in 
tobacco  and  alcohol  or  any  of  the  physical  appetites,  uses  up 
the  vitality  and  nervous  energy  more  quickly  than  the  actual 
performance  of  useful  work.  Everything  that  tends  to 
devitalize  the  body  should  be  strictly  avoided. 

The  fatigue  point,  particularly  in  mental  work  or  any- 
thing requiring  concentrated  care  and  attention  on  the  part 
of  the  worker,  may  also  depend  largely  upon  the  individual's 
state  of  mind.  The  body  needs  four  fifths  of  the  energy  it 
creates  to  keep  itself  in  repair  and  good  working  order,  but 
if  one  hurries  or  worries  at  his  work,  he  uses  up  more  than 
one  fifth  of  the  energy  left  for  activity  of  any  sort.  One 
could  sit  still  all  day,  without  doing  a  stroke  of  work  and 
worry  to  the  extent  of  using  up  all  the  energy  in  the  body  as 
fast  as  it  is  manufactured. 

Another  reason  why  one  should  not  worry  while  working 
is  that  the  hurried,  worried  person  cannot  breathe  prop- 
erly. His  breath  is  quick  and  shallow  and,  in  consequence, 
he  cannot  take  in  the  supply  of  oxygen  needed  to  purify 
the  blood  and  help  the  organs  do  their  work.  He  is  usually 
irritable  and  -nervous,  and  suffers  from  disorders  of  the 
digestive  organs.  He  cannot  do  so  much  work,  in  the  long 
run,  as  the  cheerful,  steady  worker.  Cheerfulness  is  always 
a  factor  in  good  health  and  successful  work. 


FATIGUE  99 

As  Carlyle  has  so  well  said :  — 

"  Give  us,  oh,  give  us  the  man  who  sings  at  his  work ! 
He  will  do  more  in  the  same  time,  he  will  do  it  better,  he 
will  persevere  longer.  One  is  scarce!}'  sensible  of  fatigue, 
whilst  he  marches  to  music.  Wondrous  is  the  power  of 
cheerfulness,  altogether  past  calculation  its  power  of  en- 
durance." 

If,  however,  in  spite  of  devices  and  precautions  to  pro- 
tect the  worker  from  fatigue,  in  spite  of  sensible  habits  of 
living  and  an  effort  to  keep  in  a  cheerful  frame  of  mind,  the 
worker  feels  he  is  going  beyond  his  strength  and  is  steadily 
losing  ground,  then  it  is  time  for  him  to  take  a  vacation  or 
change  his  position.  In  a  condition  of  exhaustion,  one  is 
of  no  use  to  himself  or  to  any  one  else.  No  worker  can 
afford  to  run  the  risk  of  passing  beyond  the  limits  of  his 
strength  and  nervous  endurance,  and  of  becoming  physi- 
cally bankrupt,  with  the  prospect  of  never  being  able  fully 
to  regain  his  vitality. 

The  worker  should  never  take  advantage  of  good  hours 
and  consideration  on  the  part  of  the  employer,  but  should 
show  his  appreciation  by  constantly  doing  more  than  is 
required.  While  laziness  may  in  some  cases  be  due  to  poor 
health,  there  is  seldom  any  excuse  for  it.  To  shirk  is 
poor  policy,  for  it  prohibits  advancement  and  injures  fellow 
workers  more  than  it  does  the  employer. 

FATIGUE 

1.  "  An  idle  mind  is  the  devil's  workshop." 

2.  If  you  have  no  steady  work,  use  your  "  off  "   time 

steadily  to   improve  your  knowledge  of  the  next 


ioo  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

higher  job,  working  in  the  public  library  or  cor- 
respondence course. 

3.  At  night  the  body  must  make  good  the  day's  wear 

and  tear  by  the  removal  of  waste  products  and  the 
repair  of  tissue.  This  is  best  done  by  relaxation, 
rest,  and  sleep  in  fresh  air.  Do  not  add  fatigue  by 
late  hours. 

4.  Quick,  hard,  brilliant,  nervous  workers  need  more  rest 

than  slow,  steady  ones,  and  must  be  more  careful  to 
get  it. 

5.  Get  the  habit  of  sitting  well  at  work ;  it  costs  nothing 

but  effort,  and  it  pays. 

6.  Always  stand  with  chest  up ;  rise  on  the  toes  and  shift 

the  weight  frequently. 

7.  Accept  lower  wages  at  another  job  if  your  work  is  too 

hard  or  too  long.  No  one  can  repair  you  if  you  are 
run  down  too  far. 

8.  If  you  must  work  at  night  and  sleep  in  the  day,  get  in 

your  sleep  first,  putting  cotton  in  your  ears,  if 
necessary. 

9.  Do  not  worry.     Attack  troublesome  problems  bravely, 

reach  conclusions  quickly  and  as  best  you  can,  then 
dismiss  the  matter  from  your  mind.  "  Work  while 
you  work,  and  play  while  you  play." 

10.  Do  not  be  hurried.     "  Plan  your  work  and  work  your 

plan." 

11.  If  you  cannot  sleep,  you  probably  are  not  following  out 

the  evening  routine  of  Chapter  III. 

12.  To  avoid  insomnia :  — 

(a)    Clear  the  mind  of  the  day's  work.     Think  steadily 
of  something  different  and  pleasant. 


FATIGUE  ioi 

(b)  Before  retiring,  take  a  short  walk  in  the  open  air 
and  twenty  full  breaths  with  light  exercise. 

(c)  Drink  a  glass  of  water,  cold  or  hot. 

(d)  Do  not  toss,  lie  still  on  the  back,  arms  over  your 
head,  and  breathe  deeply. 


CHAPTER  X 
AFTER  HOURS 

The  end  of  the  day.  —  At  the  end  of  the  day,  remember 
always  to  leave  your  bench,  machine,  or  desk  neat  and 
tidy.  Leave  everything  in  such  shape  as  to  indicate  to  any 


The  work  bench  at  the  close  of  the  day 

one  who  may  see  it  what  kind  of  worker  you  are.  If,  for 
any  reason,  you  are  prevented  from  coming  in  the  next 
morning,  there  will  be  no  cause  for  confusion  or  delay  in  the 


AFTER   HOURS  103 

work.  One  never  knows  what  a  night  may  bring  forth,  so 
it  is  well  to  live  each  day  "  as  though  it  were  your  last." 

Don't  quit  work  before  your  time  is  up.  Many  workers 
watch  the  clock  as  the  day  draws  to  a  close,  and  trifle  and 
idle  away  the  last  quarter  of  an  hour,  if  not  longer,  as  if  that 
time  did  not  belong  to  the  employer  as  much  as  any  other 
period  during  the  working  day. 

When  it  is  really  time  to  leave,  go  quietly.  In  your 
eagerness  to  get  out  among  the  first,  don't  make  the  youth- 
ful mistake  of  pushing,  .crowding,  and  shoving  aside  your 
fellows.  Apart  from  the  rudeness  and  lack  of  consideration 
shown  by  such  haste,  it  may  bring  serious  results,  especially 
where  a  great  number  of  people  are  at  work.  Crowding 
and  pushing  frequently  cause  accidents  at  elevator  doors, 
on  landings  or  stairs,  and  at  the  exit  doors  of  buildings. 

Going  home.  —  When  you  have  finished  the  day's  work, 
try  to  shut  it  out  of  your  mind  completely.  The  hours  that 
belong  to  you  before  a  new  day  commences  should  be  used 
for  rest  and  recreation. 

If  you  are  still  at  school,  plan  your  time  so  that  you  will 
get  the  needed  rest  and  come  to  school  with  the  tasks 
all  prepared  to  make  a  businesslike  profit  of  the  day's  in- 
structions. 

In  proceeding  to  your  home,  apply  the  same  suggestions 
for  health  and  safety  as  when  you  went  to  work  in  the  morn- 
ing. If  you  are  an  indoor  worker,  walk  home  if  possible, 
giving  your  lungs  a  chance  to  expand  and  to  get  rid  of  the 
stale  air  of  the  workroom.  If  you  live  too  great  a  distance 
from  your  work  to  do  this,  then  get  off  the  elevated  or  sub- 
way train  a  station  or  so  before  you  reach  your  destination 
and  walk  the  rest  of  the  way  home.  This  will  cleanse  your 


104 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 


body,  set  your  blood  to  circulating  briskly,  and  give  you  an 
appetite  for  dinner. 

This  little  exercise  will  enable  you  to  carry  to  the  evening 
meal  a  fund  of  good  spirits,  that  will  add  to  your  own  en- 
joyment of  the  meal  and  cheer  the  other  members  of  your 
family,  who  have  also  been  working  all  day. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  your  work  has  so  tired  your  muscles 
that  you  do  not  feel  physically  able  to  walk  home,  then,  by 
all  means,  before  eating,  lie  down  flat  on  your  back  and 
rest  a  little  while.  This  will  give  the  blood  a  chance  to 


Make  the  evening  meal  a  cheerful  time 

return  from  the  overworked  brain  and  muscles,  and  will  put 
the  stomach  in  better  condition  to  digest  the  evening  meal. 
The  evening  meal.  —  Put  away  your  work  and  your  wor- 
ries when  you  sit  down  to  eat,  remembering  only  the  pleas- 
ant or  humorous  happenings  of  the  day,  which  you  can 
relate. 


AFTER  HOURS  105 

Do  not  treat  your  family  in  the  superior  manner  so  many 
young  people  affect,  regarding  their  relatives  as  necessary 
evils  and  hindrances  that  must  be  endured,  somehow. 
Remember  always  that  the  family  is  quite  as  necessary  to 
your  happiness  and  development,  as  you  are  to  the  family's ; 
and  that  no  matter  what  the  environment  is  into  which  you 
have  been  born,  it  is  within  your  power  to  make  it  better 
and  brighter,  if  you  desire  to  do  so. 

Your  future  happiness  will  be  much  greater  if  you  carry 
with  you  the  realization  that  you  are  doing  all  that  is  in 
your  power  to  add  to  the  welfare  of  the  home  folks.  You 
will  never  regret  sharing  with  them  your  pleasures,  inter- 
ests, and  plans ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  they  will  be 
greatly  benefited  by  being  put  in  touch  with  the  new 
methods  and  new  ideas  you  are  able  to  bring  to  them  from 
the  outside  world. 

Importance  of  recreation.  —  It  is  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance to  the  worker  to  know  how  to  play  and  to  relax  after 
the  strenuous  efforts  of  the  day.  The  child  may  not  need 
to  be  stimulated  to  play,  but  it  is  usually  difficult  for  the 
grown-up  person  to  find  recreation  that  will  benefit  both 
body  and  brain. 

Play  keeps  one  active  in  body,  mind,  and  spirit.  Not  only 
do  games  and  sports  improve  the  circulation,  help  to  burn 
up  the  useless  wa'stes  of  the  body,  and  make  the  mind  more 
active  and  alert ;  but  they  have  a  social  value  also,  bringing 
us  in  touch  with  other  personalities  and  teaching  us  to  ex- 
ercise self-control,  fairness,  patience,  courtesy,  and  con- 
sideration for  the  rights  and  feelings  of  others. 

Billiards,  basket  ball,  bowling,  roller  skating,  and  other 
indoor  sports  are  valuable;  but,  for  the  worker  who  spends 


io6  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

most  of  his  time  indoors,  the  out-of-door  recreations,  such 
as  walking,  boating,  swimming,  croquet,  tennis,  baseball, 
ice  skating,  and  football,  are  even  better,  as  they  afford 
better  light  and  air  along  with  the  exercise. 

Every  worker  should  have  some  one  interesting  recrea- 
tion or  hobby,  as  a  safety  valve,  or  outlet  for  superfluous 
energy,  as  well  as  a  rest  and  change  from  the  regular  work. 
As  a  rule,  the  hobby  will  present  itself  without  much  effort 
on  the  part  of  the  young  person  to  find  it.  It  will  probably 
be  something  in  line  with  one's  natural  tastes  and  aptitudes. 

Music.  —  For  instance,  many  young  people  have  a  nat- 
ural talent  for  music  and  like  to  spend  all  the  time  at  their 
disposal  in  practicing  on  some  kind  of  musical  instrument, 
or  in  singing.  If  you  have  a  fondness  for  music  and  some 
skill  in  expressing  yourself,  by  all  means  you  should  make 
the  most  of  it. 

You  may  find  it  helpful,  as  well  as  pleasant,  to  join  or 
form,  a  musical  club  or  society,  where  you  can  meet  and 
practice  with  others  who  have  the  same  liking  for  music. 
There  will  be  an  economy,  also,  in  buying  your  music  or  in 
taking  lessons,  if  you  belong  to  a  cooperative  club  of  this 
kind.  Every  one  so  inclined  should  be  able  to  procure  in- 
struction at  an  evening  recreation  center,  church  club, 
settlement  house,  or  an  evening  school. 

Whenever  possible,  go  to  hear  good  concerts  or  the  opera, 
where  you  will  be  brought  in  touch  with  the  works  of  the 
great  masters.  If  you  watch  the  papers,  you  will  find  that 
many  fine  concerts  and  organ  recitals  are  given  by  the 
churches  and  other  organizations,  either  free,  or  at  very 
slight  expense.  During  the  summer  months,  many  cities 
provide  excellent  musical  programs,  well  played  by  bands 


AFTER  HOURS  107 

or  orchestras,  in  the  various  parks  or  on  the  recreation 
piers.  But  you  will  not  need  to  be  urged  to  do  any  of  these 
things.  Your  hobby  will  naturally  suggest  to  you  anything 
and  everything  that  will  increase  your  pleasure  in  it. 

Amateur  theatricals.  —  The  same  may  be  said  of  dra- 
matic clubs  and  societies.  If  you  have  a  talent  for  imitat- 
ing well-known  actors,  or  for  expressing  ideas  and  emotions, 
you  will  get  a  vast  amount  of  amusement  and  instruction 
from  the  study  and  acting  of  good  plays.  Not  only  will  you 
improve  your  manners  and  speech  by  such  study,  but  you 
will  also  give  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  to  other  people,  whom, 
from  time  to  time,  you  can  invite  to  your  amateur  theat- 
ricals. You  and  the  rest  of  your  company  will  be  bene- 
fited by  the  criticisms  of  your  audience,  and  you  will 
acquire  ease  and  self-confidence. 

Moving  picture  shows.  —  It  may  be  well  to  speak  of  the 
"  moving  picture  "  houses.  This  popular  form  of  amuse- 
ment has  developed  within  the  last  few  years,  and  is  at  once 
so  cheap  and  so  attractive  that  it  has  become  the  principal 
amusement  and  recreation  of  a  great  number  of  people. 
The  physical  and  sanitary  condition  of  the  moving  picture 
hall  is  very  important  to  the  health  of  those  who  frequent 
it.  Many  of  these  places  are  very  dirty  and  badly  venti- 
lated, so  that  the  effect  is  harmful ;  many  of  them  are  also 
very  dangerous  traps,  if  a  fire  happens  to  break  out. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  moving  pictures  can  be  interest- 
ing, clever,  and  entertaining.  They  can  also  be  made  of 
great  educational  value.  Scenes  from  foreign  lands,  pic- 
tures illustrating  every  step  in  the  various  great  industries 
of  the  world,  plays  bringing  to  us  a  knowledge  of  the  cus- 
toms and  scenery,  not  only  of  other  lands  but  of  every 


io8  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

nook  and  corner  of  our  own  great,  many-sided  country, 
dramatized  versions  of  the  great  novels  and  poems,  and  of 
the  important  historical  events  of  all  times  and  all  coun- 
tries, —  pictures  like  these  teach  us  something,  at  the  same 
time  that  they  hold  our  interest  and  attention.  The  manu- 
facturers of  the  best  films  in  the  market  are  beginning  to 
realize  the  educational  importance  of  moving  pictures,  and 
are  giving  us  better  plays  all  the  time. 

You  will  be  able  to  judge  for  yourselves  whether  a  moving 
picture  play,  or  any  play,  for  that  matter,  is  good  or  bad, 
by  the  effect  it  has  on  you.  If  you  are  rested,  entertained, 
and  instructed,  the  performance  is  a  good  one.  If  it  has  a 
silly,  flimsy  plot,  with  a  lot  of  rough  action  in  it,  or  if  it  is  a 
story  of  crime  and  violence,  you  will  have  experienced  no 
benefit  from  the  performance. 

Economy.  —  The  question  of  expense  is  one  that  must 
necessarily  enter  into  the  amusements  and  recreations  of 
many  workers.  When  one  is  starting  out  in  the  business 
world,  there  is  very  little  of  one's  wages  left  for  indulging 
in  amusements,  after  buying  food  and  clothing.  Perhaps, 
if  you  turn  your  money  into  the  household,  you  will  have 
nothing  left,  or  only  what  can  be  spared  from  the  household 
fund  after  expenses  are  paid ;  if  you  pay  all  your  expenses 
yourself,  you  will  have  greater  freedom  in  spending  your 
money,  but  you  may  not  have  much  left  for  amusements 
after  providing  for  the  necessities  of  life. 

Dancing.  —  Many  young  people,  whose  homes  are 
crowded,  or  who  lodge  in  small  rooms,  find  their  principal 
relaxation  in  going  to  the  dance  halls.  Dancing  is  a  splen- 
did exercise  and  is  a  social  diversion  as  well ;  but  the  ordi- 
nary dance  hall  is  not  a  good  place  in  which  to  spend  your 


AFTER  HOURS  109 

evenings.  Many  of  the  halls  are  mere  excuses  for  selling 
drinks ;  and  undesirable  acquaintances  are  made  there  who 
may  lead  one  into  vice  and  crime.  It  is  better  to  form  a 
dancing  club  of  your  own  friends  and  acquaintances,  meet- 
ing at  the  members'  homes  by  turns,  on  the  recreation 
piers  in  summer,  or  at  some  of  the  settlement  houses  and 
clubs  where  dancing  is  encouraged.  In  this  way  you  will 
escape  the  dangers  of  the  dance  hall  and  will  have  a  much 
better  time  with  people  you  know.  Don't  visit  any  dance 
hall  where  drinks  are  sold ;  make  this  a  rule,  and  you  will  be 
glad  of  it. 

Walking.  —  Walking  can  be  made  a  very  interesting  ex- 
ercise in  summer  or  winter,  by  forming  a  club  of  people  who 
are  fond  of  outdoors,  and  then  starting  off  for  some  destina- 
tion agreed  upon.  Your  Saturday  half-holidays  and  Sun- 
days will  give  you  opportunities  for  longer  excursions.  It 
is  much  pleasanter  to  walk  in  groups,  or  with  a  gooid  com- 
panion, as  the  conversation,  laughter,  and  song  add  enjoy- 
ment to  the  benefits  received  from  this  form  of  exer- 
cise. There  are  so  many  parks  and  interesting  historical 
places  to  visit  in  and  around  most  cities,  that  you  could 
keep  up  this  practice  of  walking  to  a  different  place  each 
time,  particularly  on  the  half-holiday  and  Sunday  trips, 
indefinitely. 

Gymnastics  and  athletics.  —  For  those  who  prefer  sys- 
tematic physical  training,  the  different  branches  of  the 
Young  Men's  and  Young  Women's  Christian  Associations, 
and  similar  organizations,  offer  splendid  opportunities  in 
the  way  of  gymnasium  work. 

Of  late  years  the  school  buildings  are  being  used  in  the 
evenings  for  recreation,  gymnastics,  games,  basket  ball, 


110 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


checkers,  literary  clubs,  debating  clubs,  chess  clubs,  and  the 
like.  In  some  places  regular  receptions  are  held  weekly  and 
social  dancing  is  arranged  for.  If  there  is  such  a  center  in 
your  neighborhood,  you  should  attend  it,  by  all  means,  and 
join  yourself  with  those  who  have  like  interests. 

Provisions  for  rec- 
reation supplied  by 
factories.  Some 

large  industrial  estab- 
lishments, factories, 
and  stores  have  de- 
cided that  it  pays  to 


provide  the  employ- 
ees with  recreation 
rooms,  gymnasiums, 
swimming  pools,  li- 
braries, and  reading 
rooms,  for  purposes 
of  play  and  relaxa- 
tion after  work 

hours.  One  of  the  largest  pickling  and  canning  plants  in 
this  country  has  an  auditorium,  where,  every  Monday,  the 
employees  meet  for  recreation  and  a  social  time.  There  are 
classes  in  dancing,  cooking,  sewing,  and  a  swimming  pool, 
gymnasium,  library,  and  roof  garden.  In  another  estab- 


The  evening  recreation  center 


AFTER   HOURS 


in 


lishment  a  branch  of  the  public  library  was  installed,  with 
books  in  five  languages,  and  a  reading  room  was  equipped 
with  magazines  and  papers,  which  has  proved  a  popular 
resort  for  the  employees.  In  addition,  study  courses  have 
been  started  which  the  workers  have  taken  up  with  much 
interest. 


*"^4#?~ 
•#&*' 

Factory  recreation  grounds 

One  large  company  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  wor- 
sted yarns  have  provided,  in  the  vicinity  of  their  plant,  a 
a  piece  of  ground,  which  has  been  laid  out  for  tennis  and 
other  forms  of  athletic  exercise.  Here  they  have  also  erected 
a  clubhouse  containing  baths,  reading  and  recreation  rooms, 
and  other  popular  features.  The  building  has  an  open 
porch  on  the  first  floor  and  a  balcony  on  the  second,  from 
which  the  games  and  contests  that  take  place  on  the 
athletic  field  may  be  witnessed. 

Several  of  the  large  department  stores  have  formed  eve- 
ning classes  of  employees  desiring  to  take  up  special  studies, 
bands,  orchestras,  singing  classes,  dramatic  and  literary 
clubs,  which  have  commencement  exercises  on  the  com- 


112 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


pletion  of  the  course  of  study,  or  which  give,  from  time  to 
time,  public  exhibitions  and  concerts. 

Courses  of  study.  —  It  is  not  necessary  for  the  worker 
to  feel  that,  because  regular  school  days  are  over,  his  edu- 
cational advantages,  therefore,  are  at  an  end.  The  public 


The  lecture  courses  are  interesting  and  profitable 

school  systems  of  many  cities  offer  unusual  opportunities  in 
their  night  schools,  where  one  may  receive  instruction  in  the 
arts  and  sciences,  languages  and  literature,  as  well  as  in  the 
more  practical  branches  that  are  of  distinct  commercial 
value  to  the  young  man  or  woman  who  wishes  to  advance. 
Free  lectures.  —  In  addition  to  the  regular  classes,  there 
is  also  much  to  be  learned  from  the  free  lectures  which  are 


AFTER  HOURS  113 

given  in  the  different  lecture  centers  in  some  cities,  under 
the  direction  of  the  Board  of  Education.  Many  of  these 
lectures  are. illustrated  with  lantern  slides.  One  may  listen 
to  very  interesting  accounts  of  travel ;  studies  of  the  art 
of  great  painters,  musicians,  and  writers,  illustrated  in  many 
instances  with  selections  from  their  works ;  popular  science 
talks  made  easy  for  the  comprehension  of  all;  folk  songs 
and  stories;  lectures  on  political  movements  and  great 
events  in  history ;  and  many  other  interesting  and  instruc- 
tive subjects. 

Museums.  —  In  many  cities  there  are  museums  of  art, 
history,  and  science  where  a  study  of  the  collections  gives  the 
visitor  more  information  in  an  hour  or  so  than  could  be 
obtained  from  the  reading  of  many  books  on  these  subjects. 
These  are  usually  open  on  Saturday  evenings,  as  well  as  on 
Sundays,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  employed 
during  the  week  days  ;  and  the  present  system  of  arranging 
exhibits  according  to  historical  periods  is  very  valuable  to 
the  student  who  has  not  much  time  at  his  disposal.  In 
New  York  City  there  is  a  Museum  of  Safety  which  is  of 
special  interest  to  those  workers  who  are  brought  in  daily 
contact  with  dangerous  machinery  and  industrial  processes. 
Here  one  may  find  all  sorts  of  safety  devices  for  the  preven- 
tion of  accidents  and  the  safeguarding  of  life,  limb,  and 
health. 

Libraries.  —  Then  there  is  the  inexpensive  recreation 
and  pleasure  to  be  had  from  reading.  The  free  library  sys- 
tem of  most  cities  and  towns  makes  it  possible  for  every  one 
who  wishes  to  do  so  to  take  out  a  reader's  card.  One  may 
drop  into  a  library  for  study  and  reference  work,  to  look 
over  the  latest  magazines,  or  to  select  books  to  take  home. 


H4  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

In  this  way  one  may  keep  in  touch  with  all  the  best  modern 
books  as  well  as  with  the  great  books  of  all  times. 

Benefits  of  play.  —  Remember  that  a  live .  interest  in 
something  outside  your  work  will  keep  you  healthy  and 
happy.  Every  worker  needs  to  get  away  from  his  work  for 
a  little  while,  in  order  to  return  to  it  with  renewed  interest 
and  energy.  The  mind  needs  rest  and  change,  by  giving 
it  something  else  to  think  about ;  and  the  muscles  need  the 
rest  and  change  afforded  by  exercise  and  play.  Rest, 
change,  and  play,  all  of  these  will  enable  the  worker  to  re- 
cuperate from  the  labors  of  the  day  and  will  put  him  in 
good  condition  to  resume  his  work  the  next  morning. 

Above  all,  the  muscles,  brain,  and  nerves  need  a  reason- 
able amount  of  sound,  refreshing  sleep.  Do  not  think  you 
can  stay  up  all  hours,  spending  your  evenings  in  dissipation, 
and  then  force  your  body  and  brain  to  do  their  work  with 
the  help  of  stimulants. 

The  best  restorative  is  sleep,  the  best  stimulant  is  exer- 
cise or  play ;  and  the  happy,  efficient  worker  is  the  one  who 
has  learned  how  to  invest,  and  not  to  squander,  his  working 
capital  of  health  and  energy. 

AFTER  THE  DAY'S  WORK 

1.  Leave  your  belongings  in  order. 

2.  Clean  up  and  make  yourself  presentable;    nothing  is 

more  refreshing. 

3.  Think  of  something  else  besides  work. 

4.  Walk  home,  choosing   companions  who   are  cheerful 

and  by  whose  association  you  may  profit. 

5.  If  tired  out,  rest  flat  on  your  back  before  dinner. 


AFTER  HOURS 


6.  Make  your  family 

or  associates 
at  dinner 
glad  you  are 
present. 

7.  In    the    evening, 

"  find  your 
hobby  andride 
it."  Try  to 
get  some  vig- 
orous exercise 
at  least  twice 
a  week. 

8.  Seek    wholesome 


An  orderly  desk 


places  and  companions.     Do  not  damage  your  self- 
respect  in  search  of  amusement. 

9.  Follow  some  reading  or  lecture  course,  or  study  that 
will  prepare  you  for  the  next  higher  job.  If  you 
have  lessons,  get  them  done  before  you  do  anything 
else. 

10.  To  bed  early,  observing  the  routine  of  Chapter  III. 

11.  Have  you  done  a  good  turn  to  some  one  to-day? 


CHAPTER  XI 

HOLIDAYS  AND   OUTINGS 

Effects  of  too  much  work.  —  As  has  already  been  pointed 
out  in  the  preceding  chapter,  a  certain  amount  of  play  is 
absolutely  essential  to  the  health  and  well-being  of  the 
worker.  Work  in  itself  is  a  factor  in  good  health  and  hap- 
piness, but  an  unusual  amount  of  work  or  a  repetition  of  the 
same  monotonous  efforts,  physical  or  mental,  may  be  re- 
sponsible for  a  breaking  down  of  the  body,  or,  at  least,  a  loss 
of  interest  in  the  work  performed. 

Physical  exercise,  or  muscular  activity,  may  be  had  in  the 
worker's  daily  routine ;  but  this  kind  of  exercise  becomes 
wearisome,  and,  besides,  only  one  set  of  muscles  or  brain 
cells  may  be  used.  This  calls  for  a  complete  change  of 
activity. 

It  is  for  this  reason  that  habits  of  play  are  so  important. 
They  serve  to  equalize  the  body's  various  activities,  not 
overstraining  certain  organs  and  allowing  others  to  grow 
weak  or  atrophy,  through  lack  of  use.  Play  should  natu- 
rally call  into  use  and  expression  the  neglected  cells  and 
tissues,  giving  them  a  chance  to  develop  with  the  other 
portions  of  the  body  exercised  in  the  day's  work. 

Vacation.  —  While  the  body  and  mind  need  change  and 
rest  after  each  working  day  to  fit  and  equip  them  for  the 
next  day's  labor,  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the 
worker  to  have,  entirely  for  his  own  use  and  recreation,  a 

116 


HOLIDAYS  AND   OUTINGS 


117 


certain  period  during  the  year,  when  he  can  drop  all  thought 
of  work  from  his  mind. 

Recreation  really  means  a  re-creating,  a  making  over  of 
tired  muscles  and  brain  cells.  Mind  and  body  alike  need 
to  be  revitalized  after  a  year  of  steady  work.  Employers 


A  vacation  camping  party 

are  coming  to  see,  more  and  more,  the  practical  benefits  to 
be  derived  from  allowing  their  workpeople  opportunities  for 
complete  change  of  scene,  rest,  or  play,  and  are  allowing 
yearly  vacations,  with  or  without  pay. 

The  most  successful  vacations  seem  to  be  those  which 
provide  a  complete  change  from  the  ordinary  daily  life,  new 
scenes,  new  faces  and  interests,  without  taxing  the  physical 
powers  of  the  individual  to  any  great  extent,  and  which 
allow  most  of  the  time  to  be  spent  out  of  doors. 


n8  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

It  is  a  common  fault  of  Americans  that  they  take  their 
play  strenuously.  Vacation  often  provides  so  much  op- 
portunity for  exercise  and  entertainment  that  many  overdo 
and  draw  still  further  upon  a  vitality  weakened  by  the 
long  winter  work.  Early  hours  are  always  essential.  We 
should  never  need  to  recuperate  after  a  holiday  or  a  vaca- 
tion. 

A  change  of  scene.  —  For  those  workers  who  are  able  to 
get  away  for  one  or  more  weeks  each  year,  it  is  a  wise  plan 
to  select  a  place  and  activities  as  different,  or  as  far  removed, 
as  possible  from  the  ordinary  daily  environment.  The 
weary  mental  worker  needs  to  spend  the  vacation  out  of 
doors  and  in  ways  that  will  exercise  the  unused  muscles; 
on  the  other  hand,  the  tired  physical  worker  may  receive 
greater  benefit  in  resting  from  muscular  exertion. 

Trips  to  the  seashore,  mountains,  or  other  interesting 
places  which  one  has  no  opportunity  to  see  during  the  work- 
ing year  should  be  indulged  in  and  planned  for  during  the 
rest  of  the  year.  It  is  not  extravagance  to  include  the  cost 
of  a  vacation  trip  in  the  personal  expenses,  for  the  health 
and  efficiency  of  any  person  constitute  his  working  capital. 

Perhaps,  if  your  wages  are  too  small  or  the  living  cost 
too  great  to  allow  for  the  trip  you  would  like  to  take,  you  can 
arrange  a  walking  tour  to  some  interesting  place  at  such  a 
distance  as  will  permit  a  safe  return  within  the  limits  of 
your  vacation.  In  England  and  Germany,  walking  trips 
as  vacation  jaunts  are  much  more  common  than  in  this 
country.  Such  a  trip,  with  one  or  more  congenial  compan- 
ions, equipped  with  stout  boots,  walking  sticks,  and  as  little 
luggage  as  you  can  possibly  get  along  with,  will  be  less  ex- 
pensive and  bring  you  greater  returns  in  the  way  of  health 


HOLIDAYS   AND  OUTINGS  119 

and  energy  than  the  same  time  spent  at  some  popular 
summer  resort. 

Many  workers  are  not  given  vacations  with  pay,  and, 
therefore,  feel  that  they  cannot  afford  to  take  the  time  off 
from  their  work.  This  is  a  great  mistake ;  but  if,  for  any 
reason,  it  seems  impossible  to  take  the  rest  and  change  of 
a  regular  vacation  in  the  summer  season,  it  still  lies  within 
the  means  of  the  most  economical  worker  to  find  recreation 
at  home. 

Saturdays  and  holidays.  —  The  majority  of  business 
places  grant  the  Saturday  half  holiday  to  their  employees, 
at  least  during  the  hot  summer  months  of  July  and  August.' 
This  half  holiday  with  the  succeeding  Sunday  can  be  profit- 
ably used  by  the  tired  worker  in  building  up  health  and 
energy. 

An  occasional  boat  trip  to  any  near-by  resort  will  give  one 
several  hours  of  rest  and  the  benefit  to  be  derived  from  the 
fresh  air.  These  trips  are  usually  not  expensive,  and  if  one 
wishes,  it  is  possible  to  take  one's  lunch  along,  and  avoid 
the  high  prices  at  which  food  is  usually  sold  at  these  resorts. 
The  quieter  places,  with  which  nearly  all  city  boys  and 
girls  are  familiar,  are  to  be  preferred  to  the  noisier  ones 
where  the  amusement  tends  to  excite  rather  than  to  rest. 

People  come  from  great  distances  to  visit  the  summer 
resorts  in  the  vicinity  of  large  cities;  but  we  who  live 
nearest  sometimes  fail  to  appreciate  them  because  we 
are  so  used  to  them  or  do  not  enjoy  them  in  the  right 
way.  Going  to  Coney  Island,  for  instance,  is  a  habit  with 
many  young  people  in  New  York.  If  they  would  go  to  the 
quieter  resorts,  not  so  much  with  the  idea  of  spending  money 
on  foolish  shows  and  amusements  as  to  benefit  by  the  sea 


120  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

breezes,  the  bathing  to  be  found  along  the  beaches,  and  the 
change  from  the  hot  city,  they  would  come  home  less  tired 
and  more  refreshed. 

The  Saturday  half  holiday  can  be  spent  to  advantage  in 
the  public  baths  and  swimming  pools,  in  the  parks,  or  in 
short  trolley  excursions.  In  almost  every  large  city  there 
may  be  purchased  trolley  guides  which  show  scores  of 
beautiful  and  interesting  places  which  are  easily  accessible. 

There  are  so  many  such  places  to  be  visited  in  New 
York  City,  for  instance,  museums,  parks,  collections,  his- 
torical places,  and  other  points  of  attraction  that  serve  to 
make  it  the  goal  of  many  people  who  come  from  great  dis- 
tances to  spend  their  vacations  here,  that  we  may  find  it 
to  our  advantage  to  use  a  little  time  in  getting  acquainted 
with  our  own  city. 

Probably  not  half  of  the  boys  and  girls  in  New  York  City 
are  familiar  with  the  interesting  places  within  their  city's 
limits  which  draw  so  many  visitors.  It  would  be  a  good 
idea  for  the  stay-at-homes,  or  those  who  cannot  afford  to 
take  a  regular  vacation,  to  begin  to  make  little  journeys  to 
the  places  that  are  featured  in  the  guidebooks. 

Many  people  do  not  know  that  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment has  made  maps  of  almost  every  crossroad,  river, 
hill,  and  stream  in  the  United  States,  and  that  any  one  of 
these  maps  may  be  obtained  by  forwarding  five  cents  to  the 
Director  of  the  Geological  Survey,  Washington,  D.C. 

Trips  about  New  York  City.  —  In  New  York  City,  one 
might  plan  a  series  of  outings  to  historical  places  in  the  city 
limits,  trying  in  imagination  to  retrace  the  events  they  serve 
to  commemorate.  To  visit  places  like  the  Manor  at  Van 
Cortlandt  Park,  or  the  Jumel  Mansion,  both  within  easy 


HOLIDAYS  AND   OUTINGS  121 

reach,  by  means  of  the  subway,  gives  one  better  insight  into 
manners  and  customs  long  past  than  the  reading  of  many 
books  on  the  subject.  The  brief  descriptions  given  by  a 
good  guidebook,  however,  will  tell  the  main  facts  you  want 
to  know. 

Then  there  is  the  study  of  natural  history  afforded  by 
the  great  Zoological  Garden  at  Bronx  Park.  Quite  apart 
from  the  Zoo,  the  Park  is  a  pleasant,  restful  place  in  which 
to  spend  a  day.  Boating  can  be  enjoyed  on  the  river,  and 
there  are  numerous  places  where  one  may  sit  down  and 
enjoy  luncheon  out  of  doors.  The  botanical  collections 
in  Bronx  Park  will  give  much  pleasure  to  those  who  delight 
in  rare  plants ;  while  the  pleasant,  shady  walks,  leading  to 
the  Falls  and  other  interesting  spots,  will  prove  beneficial 
to  body  and  mind. 

Making  a  vacation  profitable.  —  Even  if  you  are  obliged 
to  stay  at  home  when  other  workers,  more  fortunate  or 
foolish,  as  the  issue  may  prove,  leave  it  in  the  summer  sea- 
son, you  have  it  within  your  power  to  spend  your  spare 
time  in  so  pleasant  and  interesting  a  manner  that  you  may 
be  laying  up  a  greater  store  of  health  and  energy  than  the 
young  people  who  come  back  tired  and  weary  from  having 
too  good  a  time  at  the  mountains  and  other  regular  summer 
resorts. 

Besides  the  economy  of  a  vacation  spent  in  this  manner, 
you  will  have  gained  a  store  of  first-hand  information  about 
your  vicinity  that  may  prove  to  your  advantage  later  on, 
and  will  have  demonstrated  to  yourself  that,  after  all,  the 
sources  of  amusement  and  recreation  do  not  lie  outside  of, 

' 

but  within,  the  individual. 

Athletic  fields.  —  For  those  who  wish  to  indulge  in  sports 


122 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 


and  games,  there  are  plenty  of  near-by  fields  either  in  the 
parks  or  in  the  suburbs. 

Many  persons  who  live  in  the  country  do  not  have  the 
advantages  for  exercise  and  play  that  are  afforded  by  the 
city  parks  and  playgrounds  provided  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  recreation. 

Boy  Scouts.  —  Connected  with  many  churches  and  soci- 
eties are  troops  of  Boy  Scouts  and  similar  organizations 

for  girls.  These  plan  to 
spend  all  available  time 
out  of  doors  in  "hikes," 
tramps,  and  camp. 

No  young  man  or  woman 
will  find  a  better  opportu- 
nity for  out-of-door  recre- 
ation than  these  provide. 
If  there  is  no  such  organi- 
zation in  your  vicinity,  one 
can  easily  be  formed  by 
enlisting  the  interest  of 
some  older  man  who  is 
willing  to  give  his  advice 
and  assistance. 

What  cooperation  has 
brought  about.  —  Some 
firms  have  found  it  wise  to 

offer  exceptional  inducements  to  their  employees  to  spend 
their  vacations  sensibly,  building  up  their  bodies  and  laying 
up  a  store  of  energy  and  enthusiasm  that  will  express  itself 
in  efficient,  happy  work  during  the  remainder  of  the  year. 
These  employers  provide  special  holiday  outings  during  the 


Equipped  for  a  "hike1 


HOLIDAYS   AND   OUTINGS  123 

summer,  or  equip  and  maintain  camps  and  seaside  homes 
to  which  the  employees  may  go  for  periods  of  one  or  two 
weeks.  If  your  employer  thinks  it  worth  while,  so  should 
you. 

One  large  manufacturing  plant  arranges  its  vacation 
periods  on  the  plan  of  one  day's  vacation  with  pay  for  every 
calendar  month  during  which  the  employee  has  been  reg- 
ular in  attendance.  Workers,  therefore,  who  have  been 
faithful  through  the  year  receive  a  vacation  of  two  weeks 
with  full  pay. 

One  of  the  largest  publishing  houses  in  the  country  en- 
courages regular  daily  attendance  and  punctuality  among 
its  employees,  by  giving  the  preference  in  making  up  the  va- 
cation list  to  those  who  have  been  most  prompt  and  regu- 
lar. Each  absence  from  work  counts  two  points  and  each 
tardiness  of  less  than  one  hour  one  point  against  the  record 
of  the  employee.  The  workers  who  have  the  least  number 
of  points  charged  to  their  records  are  given  first  choice  in 
the  selection  of  the  vacation  period.  This  system  applies 
to  those  who  have  been  in  the  company's  service  a  full  year 
and  over.  In  the  case  of  employees  of  less  than  a  year's 
service,  the  points  for  regularity  and  promptness  are  reck- 
oned in  proportion  to  the  length  of  service.  Employees 
who  have  been  with  the  company  for  at  least  six  months 
are  entitled  to  a  vacation,  at  a  convenient  time,  between 
June  first  and  September  first  in  each  year,  on  the  basis  of 
one  week  day  for  each  month's  service  during  the  year. 

A  large  department  store  with  branches  in  several  cities 
maintains  a  summer  camp  of  five  acres  for  the  use  of  its 
employees.  The  boys  who  comprise  the  cadet  battalion 
live  in  tents  during  their  summer  encampment  of  two  weeks. 


124  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

The  house  erected  on  this  land  as  headquarters  for  the 
camp  is  used  during  the  rest  of  the  season  as  a  vacation 
home  by  the  men  and  women  of  the  establishment. 

A  great  many  firms  follow  the  practice  of  arranging  an 
annual  outing  or  picnic  during  the  summer  for  their  em- 
ployees, either  at  their  own  expense  or  in  cooperation  with 
an  association  made  up  of  the  workers.  These  events 
usually  take  place  in  connection  with  athletic  contests  and 
games  for  which  prizes  are  offered. 

For  the  purpose  of  encouraging  athletic  sports  and  games 
among  the  employees  who  are  able  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  privileges  after  hours  and  on  Saturday  half  holidays, 
in  addition  to  the  special  meets  arranged  each  year,  a  great 
many  firms  are  purchasing  and  fitting  up  vacant  lots  near 
the  factory  building. 

Cooperative  outings.  —  Cooperative  outings  can  be  ar- 
ranged successfully  by  the  employees  of  large  industrial 
establishments,  for  themselves  and  their  families,  at  much 
less  cost  than  if  they  were  to  undertake  the  trip  separately. 
The  Men's  Welfare  League  of  a  manufacturing  company 
of  world-wide  reputation  has  arranged  these  cooperative 
outings  very  successfully.  Not  long  ago  it  planned  a  camp- 
ing trip  to  Port  Huron,  Michigan,  for  1700  employees, 
their  families,  and  friends.  August  was  chosen  as  the  best 
time  for  the  outing,  as  the  factory  was  closed  during  two 
weeks  of  that  month.  The  campers  were  transported  over 
500  miles  and  were  lodged,  fed,  and  had  a  good  time  for  a 
period  of  nine  days,  at  the  low  cost  of  $7.80  for  each  person. 

On  arriving  at  the  camp,  the  employees  found  their  sup- 
per ready  for  them,  having  been  prepared  by  forty  cooks 
and  waitresses  from  the  establishment  who  had  been  sent 


HOLIDAYS  AND   OUTINGS  125 

on  in  advance.  The  meals  were  served  in  a  large  dining 
tent  accommodating  900  persons  at  once. 

The  camp  was  laid  out  in  streets,  with  rows  of  tents 
numbered  to  correspond  with  the  accommodations  selected 
by  the  campers  before  leaving  the  home  plant.  Most  of 
the  baggage,  which  had  been  sent  on  ahead,  was  waiting  for 
the  campers  when  they  reached  their  destination. 

During  the  vacation  period,  this  small  army  of  people 
lived  in  their  tents,  swam,  rowed,  danced,  or  spent  their 
time  walking  in  the  woods,  thoroughly  enjoying  the  rest 
and  change  and  laying  up  a  supply  of  energy  to  carry  them 
through  the  rest  of  the  working  year. 

Of  course  a  few  cases  of  sickness  were  found  to  occur  even 
in  those  healthful  surroundings,  but  the  factory  nurses  and 
doctor  were  on  hand  to  care  for  those  who  became  ill. 

This  outing  was  so  successful  that  it  has  been  repeated, 
and  the  manufacturing  company,  believing  in  the  practical 
benefits  derived  from  the  rest  and  recreation  enjoyed  by 
their  working  force,  cooperates  to  the  extent  of  paying  a 
portion  of  the  railroad  fare  of  each  employee  and  members 
of  his  or  her  immediate  family.  A  married  man  is  allowed 
one  ticket  for  himself  and  one  for  his  wife  and  each  of  his 
children ;  a  single  man  is  allowed  one  ticket  for  himself  and 
one  for  his  father,  mother,  or  sister.  Other  members  of  the 
immediate  family  may  take  advantage  of  a  special  rate  for 
the  outing. 

FOR   THE   HOLIDAYS 

1.  Plan  your  Saturday,  Sunday,  or  holiday  well  in  advance. 

Get  out  of  town. 

2.  Do  you  know  your  own  town  and  vicinity  ? 


126  HYGIENE   FOR  THE   WORKER 

3.  Walking  trips  are  more  fun  than  trips  by  trolley. 

4.  A  good  time  comes  from  what  interest  we  have  in  things, 

rather  than  in  the  things  themselves. 

5.  For  a  vacation  :  — 

(a)  If  you  live  inland,  go  to  the  shore.     If  you  live 
on  the  seacoast,  go  to  the  mountains. 

(b)  Select   a   healthy    place.      Write   to   your   State 
Board  of  Health  for  a  list  of  approved  localities. 

(c)  Select  a  decent  place.     Your    spiritual    adviser, 
pastor  or  priest,  will  help  you. 

6.  Do  not  play  so  hard  that  you  come  home  worn  out. 

7.  Our   best   times  often    come   from  helping   others  to 

enjoy  themselves. 


CHAPTER  XII 

CHOICE   OF  AN  OCCUPATION 

Making  a  wise  start.  —  The  successful  career  of  an  in- 
dividual depends  largely  upon  the  proper  choice  of  an  oc- 
cupation; for  those  in  good  physical  condition,  it  is  only  a 
question  of  natural  tastes  and  aptitudes.  Boys  and  girls 
with  slight  physical  defects,  or  who  are  predisposed  to  or- 
ganic troubles,  should  consider  with  the  greatest  care  the 
effect  the  occupations  selected  by  them  will  have  on  their 
future  health. 

If  a  wrong  choice  is  made,  a  second  selection  may  become 
necessary  and  the  worker  lose  time  and  training.  This 
might  have  been  avoided  by  a  right  start. 

Physical  examination.  —  Before  you  take  your  first  job 
go  to  a  physician  and  ask  for  a  thorough  physical  exam- 
ination :  eyes,  ears,  chest,  nose,  throat,  heart,  lungs,  kid- 
neys, back,  hips,  legs,  feet,  and  genital  organs.  It  is  better 
to  know  a  weakness  in  advance  than  to  suffer  irreparable 
damage  when  it  is  too  late.  This  examination  may,  in  some 
cities,  be  made  by  the  school  physician  before  you  apply  for 
working  papers. 

Lungs.  —  Many  industrial  occupations  are  sources  of 
diseases  of  the  respiratory  or  air  passages.  The  worker 
may  be  afflicted  at  first  with  only  a  simple  cold,  nasal  in- 
flammation, or  sore  throat,  but  these  may  lead  to  irritation 
of  the  lungs,  and  finally  to  tuberculosis.  Among  the  causes 
of  diseases  of  the  respiratory  system  may  be  mentioned :  — 

127 


128 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


i.  Sudden  chills,  due  to  wet  or  overheated  conditions 
of  the  body,  which  are  most  frequently  met  with  in  mines, 
smelting  works,  foundries,  furnaces  and  kilns,  glass  works, 
earthenware  and  china  works,  sugar  refineries,  candy  fac- 
tories, breweries,  laundries,  bricklaying,  and  stone  masonry. 


The  physical  examination 


2.  Gases  and  vapors,  especially  from  acids,  chloric,  sul- 
phuric, nitric,  and  hydrochloric  acids,  phosphorus,  iodine, 
bromine,  and  sulphurreted  hydrogen,  all  of  which  are  handled 
by  workers  in  the  chemical  industries,  metal  foundries,  metal 
oxidizing,  lacquering,  and  the  manufacture  of  cellulose. 

3.  All  the  dusts  which  injure  the  delicate  membranes 
of  the  air  passages :  — 

(a)  Those  which  are  round  and  smooth  and  harmless  in 
themselves,  but  which,  inhaled  in  large  quantities, 
are  hurtful,  such  as  rust,  flour,  etc. 


CHOICE   OF   AN  OCCUPATION  129 

(b)  Dusts  which  are  uneven,  rough,  sharp,  and  pointed, 

such  as  stone,  metal,  glass,  and  wood  dusts.  These 
are  met  with  in  the  textile  industry,  stonecutting, 
stone  breaking,  metal  and  glass  grinding,  wood- 
working, and  similar  trades. 

(c)  Those  dusts  having  chemical  properties,  such  as  lead, 

brass,  basic  slag,  arsenic,  etc. 

(d)  All  city,  house,  and  factory  dust,  for  it  carries  microbes, 

like  the  bacilli  of  tuberculosis,  diphtheria,  and  germs 
of  scarlet  fever,  etc. 

Therefore,  weak,  flat  or  narrow-chested  persons,  or  those 
afflicted  with  catarrhal  or  bronchial  troubles,  and  those  al- 
ready in  the  first  stages  of  tuberculosis,  should  avoid  the 
trades  where  they  come  in  contact  with  these  irritating 
dusts.  They  should  not  work  at  file  cutting,  painting,  glass 
and  metal  grinding  and  polishing,  stonecutting,  paper  hang- 
ing, gilding,  typesetting,  woodworking,  grinding  and  cut- 
ting of  bone  and  mother-of-pearl,  or  in  earthenware  and 
china  factories,  because  of  the  harmful  dusts  they  are  obliged 
to  breathe ;  neither  should  they  seek  employment  as  cigar 
makers,  tailors,  shoemakers,  engravers,  and  jewelers,  be- 
cause of  the  stooped  position  they  are  obliged  to  take 
while  at  work,  thus  cramping  the  lungs ;  nor  should  they, 
on  account  of  the  constant  expansion  and  strain  of  the 
lungs,  earn  their  livelihoods  as  glass  blowers  or  performers 
on  wind  instruments.  They  should  seek  employment  out 
of  doors,  and  by  all  means  the  narrow  chest  should  be 
made  ample  by  regular  exercise,  deep  breathing,  and  care- 
ful regulation  of  the  daily  life.  There  is  always  room 
for  the  worker  in  the  country. 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


Heart.  —  Persons  whose  hearts  are  weak  should  not 
engage  in  occupations  involving  great  strain  upon  this 
organ.  Constant  and  heavy  work  does  not  necessarily 
bring  about  changes  in  the  heart's  activity  or  abnormal 
conditions  of  the  heart  muscles.  A  heavy  strain,  how- 
ever, makes  the  heart 
work  faster,  the  beats 
increasing  from  100 
to  120  per  minute. 
In  a  healthy  person, 
this  expansion  of  the 
heart's  activity  re- 
sumes its  normal 
condition  during  the 
period  of  rest  and 
sleep.  To  equalize 
the  expansion  and 
the  following  reac- 
tion, the  muscular 
fibers  of  the  heart 
increase  in  number 
and  thickness. 

If  heart  overstrain  is  continuous,  the  natural  reaction 
through  the  increased  size  of  its  muscles  may  not  be  ef- 
fective. In  that  case  the  general  health  suffers  and  the 
heart  itself  is  likely  to  fail. 

Those  whose  hearts  are  in  any  degree  weak  should  not 
seek  occupations  where  there  is  much  lifting  or  carrying  of 
heavy  loads,  or  where  there  is  a  constant  strain  on  certain 
sets  of  muscles.  Such  persons  are  not  physically  fitted  to 
become  bakers,  brewers,  butchers,  coopers,  woodworkers, 


Heavy  work  requires  a  strong  heart 


CHOICE  OF  AN  OCCUPATION  131 

metal  grinders,  millers,  carpenters,  weavers,  stone  masons, 
or  machine  operators.  They  should  engage  in  some  light 
muscular  work,  but  never  neglect  regular  daily  exercise. 

Commercial  occupations.  —  In  the  various  commercial 
occupations,  the  wholesale  and  retail  trades,  the  dangers 
to  health  are  not  so  great ;  but  there  are  certain  conditions 
which  the  persons  seeking  employment  in  these  positions 
should  bear  in  mind. 

Retail  stores  for  the  most  part  require  constant  standing 
and,  as  a  rule,  long  hours  of  work.  Many  commercial  es- 
tablishments, particularly  the  importing  and  wholesale 
houses  and  salesrooms,  are  often  damp  and  insufficiently 
heated.  Under  these  conditions  only  the  closest  attention 
to  health  regulations  will  keep  the  body  well.  Inform  the 
management  of  the  trouble  and  look  out  for  another  place 
if  your  health  is  threatened. 

In  the  wholesale  and  storage  houses,  physical  and  mental 
exertions  depend,  of  course,  on  the  responsibility  of  the 
position.  As  a  rule,  the  services  required  are  varied  and 
changing  in  character,  giving  the  body  greater  freedom  and 
exercise.  In  some  warehouses  and  wholesale  stores  there 
is  much  handling  of  dusty  materials,  such  as  dyes,  paints, 
and  textiles,  which  is  not  so  favorable  to  health.  In  addi- 
tion, the  handling  of  heavy  wares,  such  as  iron,  bales  of 
cotton,  and  cases  of  goods,  is  unfavorable  only  to  persons 
who  have  any  kind  of  heart  trouble. 

Sedentary  occupations.  —  Bookkeeping,  correspondence, 
and  clerical  work  in  offices  are  sedentary  positions,  and  ex- 
ercise must  be  taken  regularly  after  hours  and  as  often  as 
possible  to  make  up  for  inactivity  and  consequent  slug- 
gishness. Attention  to  the  proper  posture  for  sitting 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


(Chapter  IX),  will  prevent  much  ill  health.     Many  offices 
are  poorly  ventilated  and  overheated,  so  that  the  change 

from  the  dry,  inside 
air  to  outside  condi- 
tions, particularly  in 
cold  or  wet  weather, 
may  cause  ailments 
and  disease  of  the 
respiratory  passages. 
The  cold  morning 
and  evening  splashes 
should  prevent  all 
of  that. 

Persons  who  have 
flat  chests  or  weak 
lungs  should  be  par- 
ticularly  careful 
about  the  posture  if 
they  must  sit  for 
many  hours  at  a 

proper  posture  for  good  health  ^me,  as  the  cramp- 

ing of  the  lungs  and 

the  lack  of  fresh  air  are  favorable  conditions  for  the  devel- 
opment of  tuberculosis. 

Feet.  —  Persons  who  have  broken-down  arches  or  who 
suffer  from  varicose  veins  should  not  select  occupations 
where  they  will  be  obliged  to  stand  for  hours  at  a  time. 
They  should  not  seek  employment  as  motormen,  conduc- 
tors, bakers,  or  in  stores  and  laundries,  as  these  occupations 
require  continual  standing.  The  wearing  of  special  shoes 
to  support  the  arch  of  the  foot,  and  of  elastic  stockings  to 


CHOICE  OF  AN  OCCUPATION  133 

relieve  the  varicose  veins,  will  make  those  who  are  already 
employed  in  these  occupations  much  more  comfortable. 

Eyes.  —  Poor  eyesight  seriously  interferes  with  one's 
success,  particularly  in  those  trades  requiring  close  applica- 
tion. Many  diseases  of  the  eyes  are  the  results  of  inflam- 
mation in  very  early  youth,  when,  with  a  little  care,  the 
impairment  of  vision  might  have  been  avoided.  For  those 
who  are  nearsighted,  or  who  have  any  other  weakness  of 
vision,  the  selection  of  an  occupation  is  of  great  importance. 
There  are  certain  trades  which  increase  the  diseased  con- 
dition of  the  eyes.  Dusty  trades,  or  those  in  which  one 
comes  in  contact  with  heat,  steam,  vapors,  and  fumes,  are 
especially  bad  for  the  worker  already  suffering  from  weak 
or  inflamed  eyes.  In  occupations  free  from  dust  and  fumes 
and  where  the  worker  has  plenty  of  fresh  air  in  a  moderate 
temperature,  the  chances  are  that  he  will  be  able  to  do  his 
work  with  comfort  and  satisfaction. 

Persons  who  have  vision  in  only  one  eye  should  not  select 
occupations  where  they  are  obliged  to  make  accurate  meas- 
urements on  fine  work  requiring  great  care,  or  where  they 
become  subject  to  conditions  which  may  cause  the  loss 
of  the  remaining  eye.  Watchmakers,  engravers,  tailors, 
dressmakers,  chemists,  and  draftsmen,  all  require  good  eye- 
sight, as  the  strain  on  their  eyes  is  greater  than  in  most  of 
the  trades.  Those  who  are  color-blind  should  not  make 
the  mistake  of  entering  occupations  where  a  quick  distinc- 
tion of  colors  is  necessary. 

If  there  is  any  reason  to  suppose  that  the  eyesight  is 
imperfect,  before  entering  any  trade  or  occupation,  the  eyes 
should  be  carefully  examined  by  a  skilled  oculist,  as  near- 
sightedness  may  be  due  to  weakness  of  the  eyes  or  to 


134  HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 

astigmatism,  both  of  which  conditions  are  easily  remedied 
by  the  wearing  of  suitable  glasses.  With  the  aid  of  glasses, 
most  of  the  trades  and  professions  are  open  to  all  who  are 
otherwise  fitted  or  trained  to  engage  in  them. 

Throat.  —  Persons  suffering  from  throat  troubles  should 
not,  of  course,  select  occupations  requiring  unusual  exertion 
of  the  vocal  chords  and  muscles,  as  these  may  become  per- 
manently paralyzed  if  overstrained. 

Skin.  —  Many  diseases  of  the  skin  affect  the  hands,  arms, 
and  legs  or  other  portions  of  the  body  and  so  do  not  actually 
disfigure  the  sufferer;  but  such  diseases  may  be  serious 
enough  to  interfere  with  the  selection  of  certain  occupations 
which  would  aggravate  the  condition.  For  instance,  brick- 
layers, tanners,  and  butchers  are  subject  to  skin  disease 
through  the  handling  of  cement,  hides,  and  much  hot  water. 
Persons  afflicted  with  any  inflammation  of  the  skin  should 
not  engage  in  these  occupations. 

Those  who  are  liable  to  suffer  from  eczema  should  be 
careful  not  to  come  in  contact  with  acids,  dyestuffs,  and 
other  materials  which  might  increase  the  trouble  and  make 
it  necessary  for  the  sufferer  to  give  up  his  work  entirely ; 
they  are  not  fitted  to  become  bakers,  bricklayers,  painters, 
lacquerers,  polishers,  cooks,  or  laundresses,  or  to  do  any 
work  where  the  hands  are  kept  long  in  water. 

Persons  with  hands  that  perspire  freely  cannot  do  good 
work  as  engravers,  watchmakers,  fine  instrument  makers, 
or  as  workers  in  any  of  the  fine  metals.  They  are  particu- 
larly unfitted  for  the  handling  of  delicate  materials,  such  as 
laces  and  linens,  and  for  such  fine  and  clean  handwork  as 
millinery,  embroidery,  sewing,  bookbinding,  and  fine  leather 
work. 


CHOICE  OF  AN  OCCUPATION  135 

So  it  is  well  to  know  your  physical  condition  before  decid- 
ing upon  your  life  work.  Do  not  rush  into  a  position 
blindly,  with  little  regard  for  your  fitness  for  that  particu- 
lar kind  of  work.  Choose  wisely,  and  if  your  physical 
equipment  happens  to  be  below  the  average,  you  may  yet  be 
able  to  do  useful  work  and,  in  time,  outgrow,  rather  than 
increase,  your  limitations. 

CHOOSING   AN   OCCUPATION 

1 .  Choose  an  occupation  with  reference  to  your  own  health 

and  abilities. 

2.  Get  a  physical  examination  from  a  physician;  find  out 

any  physical  weakness  which  should  keep  you  from 
any  particular  kind  of  work,  even  if  you  feel  per- 
fectly well. 

3.  Avoid  trades  where  the  worker  is  not  protected  against 

sudden  change  from  hot  to  cold,  gases  which  are 
poisonous,  and  dust  of  any  kind. 

4.  Seek  the  trade  where  your  physical  handicap  will  not 

count  against  you ;  where  you  can  put  your  best  ener- 
gies into  your  work ;  where  you  can  study  to  rise  to 
the  next  higher  position. 

5.  If  forced  to  work  under  unhygienic  conditions,  make 

the  matter  known  to  your  employer ;  follow  the  more 
strictly  all  rules  of  health ;  seek  other  employment  if 
conditions  are  not  changed. 

6.  If  you  have  "  weak  lungs,"  make  them  strong  and  try 

to  get  employment  out  of  doors.  Never  go  to  a 
physician  who  advertises. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS :  ACCIDENTS 

On  the  way  to  work.  —  On  leaving  home  each  day,  pro- 
ceed to  your  work  in  the  safest  way  possible.  Take  plenty 
of  time.  Do  not  rush  and  in  your  haste  jump  on  or  off 


Street  traffic  is  regulated  for  your  safety 


moving  cars.  Most  of  the  street  car  accidents  are  due  to 
this  recklessness  on  the  part  of  passengers.  Don't  try  to 
interfere  with  the  traffic  regulations  in  crowded  streets. 

136 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    ACCIDENTS          137 

Wait  for  the  signal  of  the  police  officer  whose  duty  it  is  to 
guard  the  safety  of  the  public,  and  go  with  the  traffic. 

You  may  add  your  mite  to  the  general  welfare  by  kicking 
out  of  harm's  way  every  bit  of  banana  peel  or  fruit  skin  you 
find  lying  on  the  sidewalk.  The  banana  peel  has  been 
the  cause  of  more  sprained  and  fractured  wrists  and  arms, 
broken  ankles  and  legs,  and  cracked  ribs  than  the  surgeons 
care  to  count. 

Do  not  cross  a  street  of  any  description,  particularly 
those  with  tracks,  without  first  looking  and  listening  for 
approaching  cars,  engines,  and  other  moving  machines. 
Do  not  catch  or  jump  on  cars  and  engines,  or  cross  trains  in 
motion,  except  when  your  duties  absolutely  require  you  to 
do  so. 

Safety,  the  first  consideration.  —  In  every  industrial 
establishment,  the  question  of  safety  should  be  the  first 
consideration.  The  employer  is  benefited,  in  that  he  has 
the  continuous  service  of  skilled  and  careful  employees  and 
escapes  the  heavy  expense  of  damage  suits;  on  the  other 
hand,  safe  conditions  are  only  fair  and  just  to  the  employee, 
who  is  able  to  work  in  greater  security,  free  from  the  strain 
of  fear  which  is  connected  with  dangerous  work.  For  ex- 
ample, a  woodworker  returning  to  work,  after  a  serious 
accident  to  his  hand,  exclaimed : 

"  Every  time  I  put  a  board  through  the  planer,  I  have  a 
queer  feeling  at  the  pit  of  my  stomach!  I'm  so  afraid 
the  wood  will  kick  and  hurt  me  again." 

Under  such  conditions,  a  man  cannot  do  his  best.  The 
worker  also  fears  a  loss  of  wage-earning  capacity  which 
may  throw  him  and  his  family  upon  charity. 

Many  mills  and  plants  are  now  giving  a  great  deal  of 


138 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


time  and  attention  to  questions  of  safety  for  their  work- 
people. In  1906,  one  of  the  largest  corporations  in  the 
United  States,  employing  upwards  of  200,000  people,  de- 
cided that  it  must 
reduce  the  deaths  and 
injuries  due  to  acci- 
dents in  its  works. 

Not  only  were  the 
managers  and  super- 
intendents of  works 
instructed  to  plan  for 
the  greatest  degree  of 
safety  in  the  mills  and 
shops,  but  the  work- 
men themselves  were 
asked  for  suggestions 
in  the  way  of  making 
safe  the  dangerous 
machines  and  pro- 
cesses used  in  the 
industry. 

The  result  of  this 
corporation's  syste- 
matic efforts  for  safety 
is  shown  by  the  re- 
duction, in  1910,  of  at  least  50  per  cent  of  the  deaths  and 
injuries  in  their  plants.  One  superintendent  reported  that 
he  had  reduced  his  accident  list  60  per  cent. 

Methods  of  cooperation.  —  Committees  of  Safety,  made 
up  of  officials  and  workmen,  inspect  the  shops,  mills,  and 
yards  regularly.  They  examine  the  tools  of  the  workmen, 


Protected  saw 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    ACCIDENTS          139 

and  workmen  are  also  instructed  to  report  just  as  soon  as 
the  heads  of  tools  become  burred  or  ragged.  Chips  flying 
from  defective  tools  may  cause  serious  eye  injuries,  although 
many  employees  think  it  foolish  to  take  up  a  question  of 
this  kind,  claiming  they  have  never  known  any  one  to  be 
injured  in  this  manner. 

Another  method  of  teaching  safety  and  caution  is  to  give 
warning  to  the  man  seeking  employment  that,  unless  he 
is  willing  to  exercise  care  for  himself  and  his  fellow-work- 
men, he  will  not  be  given  a  job.  In  one  plant,  such  a 
notice  is  posted  in  the  employment  office  in  six  different 
languages. 

Weatherproof  signs,  displayed  just  inside  the  gates,  re- 
quest every  employee  to  be  on  the  lookout  for  defects  in 
machinery  or  tools,  carelessness  of  other  employees,  or 
dangerous  conditions  anywhere  in  the  grounds  or  works. 
Any  reports  that  are  made  are  treated  as  personal  matters 
between  the  superintendent  and  the  person  giving  the 
information. 

Never  become  too  familiar  with  danger.  —  Do  not  stand 
too  near  or  under  hoists,  cranes,  conveyors,  tackle,  buckets, 
ladles  containing  molten  metal,  weights,  or  material  of  any 
kind  that  is  being  raised,  carried,  or  lowered,  if  you  would 
avoid  accidents. 

Protections  against  danger.  —  There  is  always  a  grave 
danger  to  the  worker  exposed  to  unprotected  gearing  or 
car  wheels.  If  he  stumbles  and  falls  against  them,  he  may 
lose  a  limb,  or  be  ground  to  death.  Dangerous  wheels  like 
these  should  be  protected  with  cover  guards,  or  shields. 
It  is  possible  to  do  this  and  not  to  interfere  with  the  opera- 
tion of  the  machine.  All  belting  and  shafting  should  be 


140 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


made  safe  by  protecting  guards  or  rails.  That  is  the  em- 
ployer's duty.  But  it  is  your  duty,  if  you  find  dangerous 
machines  unguarded,  to  use  special  care  and  caution  and 
to  notify  your  employer.  You  may  lessen  the  dangers 

from  protruding 
screws,  unguarded 
belts  and  shafting, 
gears  and  cog  wheels, 
by  wearing  neat,  well- 
fitting  work  clothes 
and  avoiding  flowing 
ties,  torn  sleeves,  and 
unbuttoned  blouses. 
Do  not  wear  jewelry 
on  your  hands  or  neck 
if  you  operate  a  ma- 
chine. 

If  you  are  obliged 
to  work  near  un- 
guarded saws  and 
planers,  flywheels, 
belts  and  shafting  run- 
ning through  or  near 
floors,  or  other  dan- 
gerous places,  where 
the  floor  is  worn  and 

made  slippery  with  grease  and  oil,  you  can  save  yourself 
from  falls  to  a  great  extent  by  wearing  rubber  heels  on 
your  shoes.  Do  not  walk  through  or  over  low  running 
belts,  or  reach  across  rapidly  moving  parts  of  machinery. 
Do  not  attempt  to  stop  a  machine  by  grabbing  at  the  belt. 


OCCUPATIONAL   DANGERS:    ACCIDENTS 


141 


No  matter  is  too  small  to  receive  consideration  and  at- 
tention where  safety  is  concerned.  Worn  floors,  material 
piled  too  high  or  carelessly,  the  lack  of  railings,  poor  lad- 
ders, windows  which  should  be  cleaned  to  admit  better 
light,  all  of  these,  directly  or  indirectly,  may  be  the  causes 
of  serious  accidents. 

There  is  a  particular  need  for  safeguarding  presses  and 
stamping  machines,  which  are  the  cause  of  frequent  acci- 
dents. A  certain  brass 
shop,  in  which  203  women 
were  employed,  showed  an 
accident  rate  of  26.6  per 
cent  among  them,  while 
another  shop,  employing 
129  women,  showed  an 
accident  rate  of  11.63  Per 
cent.  Both  of  these  were 
what  may  be  called  high- 
class  factories,  but  in  the 
second  one  machines  had 
been  chosen  with  the  least 


hazard  and  even  then  ad- 
ditional safeguards  had 
been  provided. 

A  good  illustration  of  the  difference  in  safety  caused  by 
attention  to  a  single  detail  is  shown  in  a  comparison  of  two 
factories  using  nearly  the  same  number  of  presses  and  pro- 
ducing almost  the  same  kind  of  goods.  In  one  a  safety 
device  was  used,  which  was  not  found  in  the  other.  In 
the  first,  in  one  year,  out  of  187  women  employed,  only 
3.21  per  cent  had  been  injured ;  in  the  other,  not  using  the 


Safety  device  for  a  stamping-  machine 


142 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


safeguards,  out  of  150  women  employed,   13.33  Per  cent 
suffered  accidents. 

Causes  of  accidents.  —  A  great  many  accidents  are  at- 
tributed to  "  carelessness  on  the  part  of  the  worker."  But 
very  often  it  happens  that  an  excess  of  care  results  in  the 
same  accident.  And  this  is  especially  true  in  the  case  of 

new  and  inexperienced 
workers,  who  must  use 
a  great  deal  of  caution 
and  common  sense,  if 
they  would  escape  in- 
jury. 

A  power  machine 
worker  must,  for  the 
sake  of  safety  and  effi- 
ciency, become  more 
or  less  automatic. 
He  must  not  do  his 
work  with  a  tense  ner- 
vous system.  The 
unskilled  beginner, 
knowing  the  machine 
to  be  dangerous,  and 
anxious  to  show  him- 
self equal  to  the  task,  tensely  waits  for  the  movement  of 
the  machine  or  press,  and  frequently,  in  his  anxiety,  falters 
or  makes  a  mistake,  resulting  in  mangled  fingers,  a  lost  hand, 
or  some  worse  injury.  As  practice  continues,  the  tension 
gradually  is  lost,  the  worker  can  do  his  work  more  safely 
than  when  he  was  so  painfully  concentrated  on  it,  and  ac- 
quires a  rhythmic  movement  in  doing  it. 


Protected  belting  on  a  stamping  machine 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    ACCIDENTS          143 

On  the  other  hand,  the  trained,  experienced  worker  is 
not  free  from  accidents.  For  instance,  in  operating  a  stamp- 
ing press,  the  fingers  adjust  the  object  to  be  cut  or  formed, 
and  then  the  foot  presses  a  releasing  lever.  After  a  while, 
these  motions  become  automatic.  One  follows  the  other 
without  the  worker  thinking  of  them.  Suppose,  however, 
the  machine  fails  to  work  or  the  material  is  rough  or  faulty, 
or  something  else  interferes  with  the  first  motion.  It  is 
very  seldom  that  the  worker  can  instantly  stop  the  second 
motion  to  which  he  has  become  accustomed.  His  nervous 
system  has  been  trained  to  do  the  second  part  of  the  opera- 
tion automatically.  A  serious  accident  may  result. 

In  such  a  case  as  this,  the  only  safety  is  in  providing  the 
worker  with  a  safeguard.  There  are  many  good  and  simple 
styles  of  safety  devices  for  presses  and  stamping  machines. 

Such  safeguards  give  the  worker  a  feeling  of  security,  re- 
lieve the  tension,  prevent  accidents,  and  are  an  economy 
for  the  employer,  for  in  addition  to  doing  away  with  dam- 
ages, or  the  loss  of  a  skilled  employee,  the  output  of  the 
machine  is  greater. 

It  is  difficult  to  say  just  how  far  a  worker  is  responsible 
for  an  accident,  particularly  on  an  unguarded  machine. 
The  effect  of  bad  light,  impure  air,  too  great  speed,  weak- 
ness, and  fatigue  must  all  be  considered  before  blaming 
the  worker  for  carelessness  or  negligence.  The  conditions 
necessary  for  safety  should  be  provided  by  the  employer. 

Taking  risks.  —  Women  are  generally  more  careful  than 
men,  less  given  to  removing  the  safeguards  which  are  pro- 
vided them,  and  more  attentive  to  their  surroundings ;  in 
fact,  they  display  a  tendency  to  avoid  danger  when  working 
on  a  machine  which  is  known  to  be  very  dangerous.  But 


144 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


in  the  matter  of  taking  risks,  they  are  much  more  reckless 
than  the  men.  Taking  risks  includes  a  number  of  foolish 
actions,  such  as  cleaning  a  machine  while  in  motion,  at- 
tempting to  adjust  screws  and  belts  without  stopping  the 
machine,  experimenting  with  another  person's  machine,  and 
disregarding  orders. 

The  most  important  cause  of  accidents  to  both  men  and 
women  is  in  connection  with  the  material,  either  in  in- 
serting the  work,  re- 
moving it,  or  clearing 
away  the  scrap,  which 
brings  their  fingers  too 
dangerously  close  to  the 
descending  die.  In  all 
these  cases,  safety  de- 
vices would  prevent 
accidents  and  loss  of 
fingers  or  hands. 

If  you  work  on 
presses,  stamping  or 
cutting  machines,  never 
try  to  remove  material 
from  under  the  die  with 
your  fingers  while  the 
power  is  on.  If  a  hook 
is  not  given  you  for  this  purpose,  you  can  easily  make 
one  from  bent  wire  and  so  avoid  the  danger  of  cutting  off 
or  mashing  your  fingers. 

Inexperience.  —  A  great  many  accidents  happen  on  the 
first  day  at  work.  In  fact,  a  considerable  proportion  of  all 
the  accidents  to  press  operatives  happens  during  the  first 


Protected  gearing 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    ACCIDENTS 


week  at  work,  and  over  half  of  these  during  the  first  day. 
When  going  to  work  at  a  new  job  pay  the  strictest  atten- 
tion to  instructions,  particularly  those  which  relate  to  your 
safety,  and  follow  them. 

Overspeeding.  —  In  most  of  the  silk  and  cotton  mills, 
overspeeding  of  the  machinery  is  the  most  common  cause 
of  accidents  to  the  workers.  Accidents  also  result  from 
improperly  placed  or  unguarded  belts  and  shafting  and 
set  screws.  Even  when  made  safer  by  using  hollow  set 


Hollow  set  screw 


Projecting  set  screw 


screws  instead  of  projecting  screws,  a  shaft  still  needs  very 
careful  guarding.  For  instance,  not  long  ago,  under  the 
direction  of  the  factory  inspector,  the  projecting  screws  in 
a  factory  had  been  replaced  by  safer  ones.  A  young  worker 
passed  under  the  shaft,  combing  her  hair  as  she  went.  In 
a  flash,  a  few  strands  were  drawn  around  the  shaft,  her  hair 
was  entangled,  and  her  scalp  was  torn  from  her  head. 

Overcrowding.  —  Textile  machinery,  if  properly  guarded 
and  not  crowded,  has  little  danger  for  the  -worker.  The 
worst  danger,  leading  to  accidents,  is  from  overcrowding. 
Very  often  not  enough  space  is  allowed  between  machines, 


146 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE   WORKER 


and  the  aisles  are  too  narrow.  The  aisles  may  be  made 
safe  by  a  proper  guarding  of  the  ends  of  the  machines,  but 
more  space  should  be  allowed  between  machines.  In  the 
case  of  spinning  frames,  a  woman  operator,  leaning  over  to 
reach  the  lower  rail  of  spindles,  is  liable  to  have  her  hair 
caught  in  the  upper  rail  of  spindles  on  the 
frame  in  front  of  her,  or  to  have  her  skirts 
caught  in  the  lower  rail  of  spindles  belong- 
ing to  the  worker  behind  her. 

Oiling  and  cleaning.  —  Perhaps  one  of  the 
greatest  causes  of  danger  in  any  factory  or 
shop  where  power  is  used  to  run  the  machines 
is  the  oiling  and  cleaning  of  the  working 
parts  while  they  are  in  motion. 

The  oiling,  cleaning,  and  repairing  of 
machinery  should  never  be  attempted  while 
it  is  in  motion.  Do  not  attempt  to  oil 
shafting  or  shift  belts  while  they  are  in 
motion,  unless  you  have  been  provided 
with  a  special  long-stemmed  oiler,  or  the 
belts  are  furnished  with  patent  shifters. 
Do  not  wear  torn,  loose  clothing  while 
working  on  shafting,  and  be  sure  of  your 
footing.  The  worker  cannot  afford  to  take 
chances. 

Bursting  wheels.  —  If  a  grinding  or  polishing  wheel 
running  at  a  high  rate  of  speed  should  burst,  the  flying  frag- 
ments are  likely  to  cause  the  death  of  any  one  they  happen 
to  strike.  Safety  hoods  and  collars  over  the  grinding  wheels 
will  protect  the  workers  from  this  danger.  The  illustration 
at  the  bottom  of  the  next  page  shows  a  wheel  so  protected 


A  long-stemmed 
oiler 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    ACCIDENTS 


147 


that  it  would  prob- 
ably cause  no  injuries 
if  it  burst ;  the  safety 
collar  would  prevent 
the  pieces  from  flying 
about. 

Elevators.  --  A 
great  many  young 
men  become  elevator 
operators.  The  posi- 
tion is  a  responsible 
one,  as  the  lives  and 
safety  of  many  people 
are  daily  trusted  to 


Dust  exhausts  on  grinding  wheel 


the  operator's  care.     Never  try  to  hurry 
the  car.     It  should  be  started  and  stopped 
gradually.      When    not    enough    time   is 
allowed   to  gain   the  re- 
quired   speed,    a    severe 
strain  is  put  on  the  ma- 
chinery;   also,  when  the 
brake  is  applied  too  sud- 
denly, there  is  the  risk  of 
destroying  it  and  causing 
a   serious    accident.    Al- 
ways stop  the  car  at  the 
floor  level,  as  many  acci- 
dents   occur    in    badly 
lighted   halls   and  land- 
ings where  the  passengers 


Protected  grinding  wheel 


148 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


cannot  see  the  sill  and  trip  over  it.  Do  not  run  the  elevator 
when  the  automatic  stop  device  is  broken  or  out  of  order. 
Pay  strict  attention  to  your  work  and  keep  your  presence 
of  mind  under  all  circumstances.  Always  keep  your  hand 
on  the  controlling  device  and  be  in  a  position  to  stop  the 
car  immediately.  Do  not  allow  overcrowding  in  the  car, 

as  it  puts  too  great  a 
strain  on  the  machin- 
ery. Always  see  that 
the  doors  are  closed 
and  locked  before 
starting  the  car,  and 
you  will  do  away  with 
a  great  number  of 
accidents. 

Falling  tools.  —  If 
you  are  obliged  to 
work  above  or  below 
other  workers,  let 
them  know  you  are 
there.  Do  not  drop 
articles  or  tools  from 
the  top  of  machines 
or  from  scaffoldings. 
They  may  injure  some 
one  walking  beneath.  Do  not  pile  up  material  until  it  is 
unsafe  and  may  topple  over  on  some  one  who  comes  near  it. 
Toe  guards  should  be  put  on  all  platforms,  to  prevent  the 
falling  of  tools  and  materials  on  workmen  below. 

Cleaning  windows.  —  Do  not  work  at  cleaning  windows  or 
in  any  high  place  without  securing  yourself  with  a  safety  belt. 


Safety  belt  for  window  cleaners 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    ACCIDENTS          149 

Electricity.  —  If  you  are  an  electrical  worker,  take  no 
risks  with  "dead"  apparatus,  but  treat  it  as  if  it  were  really 
charged  with  current.  In  working  about  switchboards, 
transformers,  and  other  dangerous  apparatus,  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  use  only  one  hand  and  to  keep  your  sleeves  down. 
Your  tools  should  be  perfect  and  should  have  insulated 
handles.  Use  rubber  gloves  that  will  act  as  a  non-conduc- 
tor when  working  on  cables  or  around  dangerous  apparatus. 
When  repairs  are  being  made,  switches  should  be  locked 
and  tagged,  and  the  current  should  not  be  turned  on  again 
until  the  one  making  the  repairs  has  reported  to  the  proper 
authority.  Every  electrical  worker  should  be  provided 
with  a  rubber  mat  or  shield  upon  which  to  stand  when 
working  on  high  tension  wires.  Do  not  work  on  poles  or 
other  high  places  without  a  safety  belt. 

Disobedience  and  ignorance.  —  Accidents  are  often  due 
to  the  carelessness  and  recklessness  of  the  workers  them- 
selves; many  of  them  are  the  result  of  the  resistance  to 
discipline  which  is  said  to  be  a  characteristic  of  the  Ameri- 
can workman.  Many  accidents  are  caused  by  ignorance. 
For  accidents  brought  about  by  disobedience  and  reckless- 
ness, the  guilty  should  suffer. 

Read  and  make  yourself  familiar  with  the  rules  and 
regulations  for  safety  and  use  of  machines  and  materials 
given  into  your  care.  If  you  are  in  doubt  about  any  of  the 
rules,  ask  some  one  in  authority  to  explain  them  to  you. 
You  may  be  sure  these  rules  are  not  arbitrary,  but  have 
resulted  from  years  of  experience,  and,  in  many  cases,  have 
been  made  to  comply  with  state  laws.  If  you  disobey  such 
rules,  do  not  be  surprised  to  find  yourself  out  of  a  job. 

Under  no  circumstances  remove  the  safeguards    from 


150 


HYGIENE  FOR   THE   WORKER 


dangerous  machines.  Use  the  safety  devices  that  are  given 
you,  as  well  as  the  respirators,  shields,  spectacles,  protec- 
tive garments,  and  all  measures  designed  to  guard  you 
from  injury.  Watch  your  tools,  machinery,  and  appli- 
ances, and  if  they  are  broken  or  defective,  report  the  matter 

at  once  and  secure  new 
tools  or  have  the  old 
ones  repaired. 

Pay  strict  attention 
to  the  work  in  hand. 
Don't  talk  or  "cut  up" 
with  other  workers 
while  running  a  dan- 
gerous machine,  or 
play  with  any  part  of 
a  machine  in  motion. 
Do  not  try  to  run  ma- 
chines other  than  your 
own  without  permis- 
sion from  the  foreman. 
Do  not  wander  about 
the  shop,  or  indulge 
in  running,  scuffling, 
wrestling,  or  the  playing  of  practical  jokes  during  working 
hours. 

On  entering  a  place  of  employment,  acquaint  yourself  at 
once  with  the  means  of  escape  in  case  of  fire  or  any  great 
danger.  Try  the  exits  and  fire  escapes  for  yourself,  to  see 
if  they  are  of  any  use  and  if  you  can  get  out  quickly.  If  fire 
drills  are  not  the  custom  of  your  shop,  perhaps  you  can 
interest  other  employees  and  your  foreman  in  the  matter, 


A  device  for  protecting  railway  frogs 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    ACCIDENTS          151 

and  so  induce  the  management  to  organize  fire  brigades 
and  to  introduce  regular  fire  drills  and  other  measures  for 
the  safety  of  the  entire  plant. 

Disorder.  —  Keep  your  place  in  the  workshop  neat  and 
tidy.  Do  not  go  away  at  night,  leaving  your  machine  or 
bench  dirty  and  disorderly  with  greasy  waste,  lunch  papers, 
scraps  of  food,  and  other  refuse,  or  inflammable  materials. 
Such  carelessness  as  this  is  the  cause  of  many  serious  fires 
that  break  out  in  workshops  and  factories  at  night.  Do 
not  allow  boards  with  nails  sticking  up  in  them,  or  sharp, 
broken  scraps  of  glass  and  metal,  to  lie  about  on  the  floor, 
as  they  may  cause  injury  to  some  one. 

Extreme  care  always  necessary.  —  The  "  new  hand  " 
soon  becomes  acquainted  with  his  machine  and  tools ;  prac- 
tice will  give  him  skill,  speed,  and  a  certain  freedom  from 
the  dangers  due  to  ignorance  and  inexperience;  but  it  is 
well  for  him  to  remember  that  there  are  always  dangers 
connected  with  one's  occupation,  no  matter  what  it  may 
be,  and  that  nothing  should  ever  be  taken  for  granted.  By 
paying  strict  attention  to  his  duties,  by  exercising  care  and 
caution,  even  the  youngest  worker  may  do  his  share  in  pro- 
moting safety  and  reducing  the  number  of  industrial  acci- 
dents. 

AVOID   ACCIDENTS 

1.  Never  allow  yourself  to  take  risks  with  moving  street 

cars. 

2.  Never  pass  a  banana  peel  without  kicking  it  into  the 

gutter. 

3.  "  Stop,  look,  and  listen  "  before  crossing  any  street. 

4.  -Familiarize    yourself    thoroughly    with    your    machine 

and  your  shop. 


152  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

5.  Do  not  take  risks ;  it  is  more  clever  to  be  careful  than 

to  be  risky. 

6.  Are  there  safety  appliances  on  your  machines?    Is 

there  any  unguarded  danger  in  the  shop?    If  so, 
tell  your  employer. 

7.  Is  there  a  Committee  of  Safety  in  your  shop? 

8.  Play  safe  with  a  machine  every  time ;  it  is  worth  more 

than  speed.     One   accident  will  counterbalance  a 
year  of  speed. 

9.  Obey  shop  orders. 

10.   Do  not  "  cut  up  "  in  the  shop. 

n.   Take  care  of  your  machine  as  you  would  your  own  pos- 
session, and  clean  it  thoroughly,  when  it's  not  going. 
12.   Get  the  habit  of  care. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:  POISONS  AND  FUMES 

Poisonous  workshop  conditions.  —  Any  indoor  occu- 
pation may  be  injurious  to  health,  especially  if  the  working 
conditions  are  bad.  If  the  shop  is  overcrowded  and  kept 
too  warm,  if  the  air  is  impure,  if  the  hours  are  too  long,  or  the 
work  causes  a  great  amount  of  fatigue,  the  worker's  health 
will  suffer.  Bad  air  is  a  poison  as  has  already  been  shown. 
It  is  the  cause  of  headache,  faintness,  loss  of  appetite,  and 
a  lowered  vitality  that  renders  the  worker  more  liable  to 
disease  than  a  person  with  a  greater  amount  of  oxygen  in 
his  system,  and,  consequently,  greater  resisting  power. 

Poisons. — Besides  the  general  condition  of  many  work 
places  which  might  be  called  poisonous,  there  are  cer- 
tain occupations  in  which  the  worker  is  obliged  to  handle 
materials  or  to  breathe  in  dusts,  fumes,  gases,  and  vapors, 
which  are  in  themselves  poisons. 

Among  the  best-known  and  most  dangerous  of  these 
poisons  are  lead,  arsenic,  phosphorus,  mercury,  zinc,  and 
copper,  aniline  dyes,  acids,  ammonia,  naphtha  and  benzine, 
turpentine,  varnish  removers,  carbon  monoxide  (better 
known  as  coal  gas),  sulphurous  and  other  gases,  to  which 
may  be  added  the  dangers  from  handling  the  hides  and  hair 
of  animals,  and  from  excessive  steam  or  heat. 

Lead.  —  In  addition  to  white  and  red  lead  works,  china 
and  earthenware  potteries,  many  processes  in  the  metal 
trades,  glass  works,  some  branches  of  the  electrical  indus- 

153 


154 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


try,  type  foundries,  typesetting  and  printing,  varnishing, 
and  many  other  occupations  may  bring  the  worker  in  con- 
tact with  some  form  of  lead. 

Lead  poisoning  usually  begins  with  a  loss  of  appetite  and 
weight,  nausea,  constipation,  low  vitality,  sallow  skin,  bad 
breath,  a  blue  line  along  the  gums,  and  a  sweet  taste  in  the 


Various  forms  of  lead 


mouth.  The  symptoms  of  chronic  lead  poisoning  are  pain- 
ful colic,  pain  in  the  legs,  paralysis,  wrist  drop,  and  a  gen- 
eral wrecking  of  the  nervous  system. 

One  of  the  results  of  long  exposure  to  lead  is  a  hardening  of 
the  arteries,  which  brings  all  the  feebleness  and  appearance 
of  old  age,  cutting  down  a  man  in  the  prime  of  life.  Very 
often  the  sufferer  becomes  unable  to  feed  or  dress  himself. 

It  is  a  mistaken  idea  that  we  have  few  cases  of  lead  poison- 
ing in  this  country.  As  we  do  not  have  the  system  of  record- 
ing such  cases  as  is  done  in  Germany  and  England,  where 
the  laws  in  this  respect  are  very  strict,  we  do  not  know  just 
how  many  cases  really  occur,  but  a  comparison  of  a  few 
German,  English,  and  American  lead  factories  brings  out 
some  startling  facts. 

In  a  German  factory  employing  150  men,  two  cases  of 
lead  poisoning  were  discovered  in  1910.  In  an  American 
factory  employing  142  men,  twenty-five  cases  were  sent  to 
the  doctor  in  the  same  year. 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    POISONS   AND   FUMES     155 

In  an  English  white  and  red  lead  factory  employing  90 
men,  there  was  not  a  single  case  of  lead  poisoning  in  five 
successive  years,  while  in  an  American  factory  of  the  same 
kind,  employing  85  men,  the  doctors'  records  for  six  months 
showed  35  men  suffering  from  some  form  of  the  poisoning. 

On  the  other  hand,  in  an  American  white  lead  factory, 
where  the  "  wet  process  "  does  away  with  dust,  there  is  no 
record  of  lead  poisoning. 

These  figures  refer  only  to  red  and  white  lead  works,  but 
other  trades  involving  the  handling  of  lead  would  doubtless 
show  a  high  rate  of  poisoning  in  this  country. 

Lead  in  paints.  —  Lead  poisoning  in  the  painter's  trade 
is  probably  well  known  to  many  people.  The  Commission 
on  Occupational  Diseases,  appointed  by  the  State  of  Illi- 
nois, found  that  12  men  were  sent  to  hospitals  in  Chicago, 
in  1910,  who  had  been  poisoned  by  sandpapering  the  white 
walls  of  the  lavatories  of  Pullman  cars.  In  sanding  the 
walls  and  ceilings  they  had  breathed  in  great  quantities  of 
poisonous  lead  dust.  In  Germany,  instead  of  the  dry 
sandpapering,  they  have  a  wet  process. 

The  making  of  paints  and  varnishes,  the  manufacturing 
of  the  lead  seals  used  for  freight  cars,  the  laying  of  electric 
cables  and  charging  of  storage  batteries,  the  making  of  tin 
foil  for  wrappers  and  for  bottle  caps,  the  coloring,  enamel- 
ing, and  lacquering  of  various  wares,  in  all  of  which  lead  is 
used,  are  more  or  less  dangerous  to  those  employed  in 
these  trades. 

Lead  in  other  manufactures.  —  In  the  manufacture  of 
china  and  earthenware  the  lead  is  in  the  glaze  that  is  put 
on  the  vessels.  In  England,  where  the  public  is  better 
informed  with  regard  to  the  dangers  in  lead  glazing,  pottery 


156  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

is  made  without  lead,  or  with  a  very  low  per  cent  of  car- 
bonate of  lead  in  the  glaze,  and  many  English  people  insist 
on  buying  this  kind  of  pottery. 

Workers  in  wire  and  wire  cloth  factories  run  the  risk  of 
being  poisoned  by  the  fumes  that  rise  from  the  kettles  of 
molten  lead,  through  which  the  wire  is  passed  in  the  process 
of  tempering  it.  In  one  factory  of  this  kind,  several  bad 
cases  of  poisoning  were  found,  because  proper  ventilation 
and  hoods  over  the  kettles  for  carrying  off  the  fumes  had 
not  been  provided. 

In  the  polishing  of  cut  glass  and  crystal,  putty  powder  is 
used  which  contains  70  per  cent  of  lead  oxide.  The  putty 
powder  mixed  with  water  falls  on  the  polishing  wheels, 
which  revolve  at  a  high  rate  of  speed.  In  consequence, 
a  considerable  amount  of  spray  is  thrown  off,  which 
falls  on  the  workers'  hands  and  clothing  and  on  the  floor. 
When  this  spray  dries  and  rises  as  fine  dust  into  the  air,  the 
work  people  who  inhale  it  may  become  poisoned. 

The  danger  to  the  worker  in  any  trade  in  which  lead  is 
used  is,  therefore,  from  the  inhalation  of  lead  dust  and 
fumes.  Sometimes,  through  ignorance,  the  worker  comes 
into  even  more  dangerous  contact  with  lead  than  the  work 
requires.  One  of  the  members  of  the  Illinois  Steel  Commis- 
sion tells  the  story  of  a  newly  arrived  Roumanian  who  was 
employed  in  a  storage  battery  works  and  was  severely 
poisoned  at  the  end  of  13  days.  It  was  found  that  he  had  no 
idea  the  red  lead  paste  he  used  was  poisonous,  and  it  was 
his  custom  to  wet  his  ringers  in  his  mouth  as  he  worked. 

Fighting  lead  poisoning.  —  The  best  lines  upon  which 
to  work  with  a  view  to  fighting  the  evils  of  lead  poison- 
ing are :  — 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    POISONS  AND   FUMES     157 

On  the  part  of  the  employer 

To  prevent  dust  as  far  as  possible,  by  using  a  "wet  process." 
To  provide  a  good  system  of  ventilation  for  carrying  off 

the  dust  and  fumes  from  the  workroom  and  letting  in 

fresh  air. 

To  keep  a  good  temperature  in  the  workroom. 
To  furnish  respirators  for  the  workers  exposed  to  fumes 

and  dust. 
To  provide,  or  to  require,  a  special  suit  of  clothing,  to  be 

worn  during  the  work,  laid  aside  at  the  close  of  the 

day,  and  frequently  washed. 
To  set  aside  places,  properly  fitted  up,  as  wash  rooms, 

where  the  workers  may  cleanse  themselves  and  change 

their  clothing. 
To  provide   suitable  lunch  places,  where  the  employees 

may  sit,  away  from  the  dangerous  conditions  of  their 

work. 
To  employ  a  physician,  whose  duty  is  to  examine  regularly 

the  workers  exposed  to  poisonous  conditions,  as  is  now 

required  by  the  new  law  of  the  State  of  Illinois. 

On  the  part  of  the  employee 

To  cooperate  in  the  use  of  respirators  and  other  safeguards 
to  health. 

To  observe  scrupulous  cleanliness. 

To  wash  thoroughly  the  hands,  face,  and  nostrils  on  quit- 
ting work,  and  in  addition,  before  eating  and  drinking, 
to  rinse  the  mouth  and  throat. 

To  bathe  in  hot  water  at  least  three  times  a  week,  using 
plenty  of  soap  and  scrubbing  the  flesh  with  a  brush. 


158 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 


To  use  sulphuric  acid  lemonade  (very  weak). 
To  avoid  touching  the  mouth  with  the  fingers  during  the 
working  hours,  or  before  the  hands  have  been  washed. 
To  keep  the  bowels  open. 
To  refrain  from  smoking  during  working  hours. 

Arsenic.  —  Arsenic  is  used  in  making  green  pigments,  one 
of  which  is  well  known  to  us  as  "  Paris  green,"  which  enter 
into  the  manufacture  of  wall  papers,  boxes,  cards,  cretonne, 
and  artificial  flowers.  It  is  also  used  in  smelting  works, 
especially  in  copper  smelting;  sometimes  brasswork  is 


These  articles  all  contain  arsenic 

dipped  in  an  arsenic-copper  solution  to  produce  certain 
desired  effects.  White  arsenic  is  used  for  the  preservation 
of  furs,  in  taxidermy,  and  for  similar  purposes. 

Arsenic  is  a  dangerous  poison,  either  in  its  dry,  dusty 
form,  or  in  fumes.  The  dust  causes  disorders  of  the  stomach, 
sore  mouth,  great  thirst,  skin  eruptions,  ulcers,  and  finally 
a  general  breakdown  of  the  system.  The  delicate  mem- 
branes of  the  nose  frequently  become  damaged  as  a  result 
of  inhaling  arsenic  dust. 

When  arsenic  fumes  are  inhaled,  they  cause  headache, 
nausea,  vomiting,  jaundice,  a  general  condition  of  discom- 
fort, and  weakness.  If  the  fumes  are  inhaled  in  great 
quantities,  they  may  result  fatally,  death  appearing  to  be 
due  to  heart  failure. 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    POISONS  AND   FUMES     159 


Many  cases  of  arsenical  poisoning  result  from  the  wrap- 
ping and  packing  of  Paris  green,  which  is  usually  done  by 
women.  Most  of  the  workers  seem  to  suffer,  in  some  de- 
gree, from  skin  diseases,  sore  throat,  and  stomach  disorders. 

So  much  arsenic  is  used  in  dark  green  wall  papers  that  it 
frequently  affects  the  health  of  people  who  live  in  rooms  so 
papered.     In  the  case  of  a  lady  who  became  very  anaemic 
and    suffered    from   stom- 
ach disorders,  her  physician 
found  that  the  wall  paper  in 
her  bedroom  was  the  cause 
of  her  ill  health  and  ordered 
it  removed  at  once. 

To  prevent  poisoning 
from  arsenic  dust,  wet  pro- 
cesses should  be  used. 
Dusting  green  pigments 
upon  artificial  flowers  from 
dredging  boxes  should  not 
be  permitted.  A  great 
many  of  these  arsenic  pig- 
ments could  be  done  away 
with  entirely  and  harmless 
coal-tar  colors  substituted 
for  them. 

Workers  who  are  exposed 
to  arsenic  dust  and  fumes  should  wear  respirators,  protect 
their  hands  with  gloves,  and  pay  careful  attention  to  per- 
sonal cleanliness. 

Phosphorus.  —  In  manufacturing  matches,  white  and 
red  phosphorus  can  be  used.  White  phosphorus  is  a  danger- 


A  respirator  for  protection  against 
dangerous  fumes 


160  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

ous  poison  and  its  use  is  forbidden  by  law  in  Germany, 
Great  Britain,  France,  Italy,  and  other  European  countries. 
The  red  phosphorus  is  not  poisonous  and  should  be  sub- 
stituted for  the  white,  which  is  still  used  in  this  country  in 
the  manufacture  of  matches.  A  bill  has  been  introduced  in 
Congress  prohibiting  the  use  of  white  phosphorus  in  matches. 

The  fumes  given  off  by  white  phosphorus  cause  catarrh, 
indigestion,  faulty  nutrition,  and  weakness,  leading,  finally, 
to  the  painful  and  loathsome  disease  known  as  "  phossy 
jaw,"  in  which  inflammation  of  the  upper  or  lower  jaw,  tooth- 
ache, and  decaying  teeth  are  followed  by  abscesses  and  a 
gradual  eating  away  of  the  bones  of  the  jaw. 

Thorough  ventilation,  the  use  of  respirators,  and  personal 
cleanliness  in  changing  the  clothing  and  washing  the  hands 
and  mouth  before  eating  and  drinking  are  good  preventive 
measures,  but  the  use  of  white  phosphorus  should  no  longer 
be  tolerated. 

Mercury.  —  The  poisonous  effects  of  the  vapor  of  mercury 
are  best  known  to  us  through  the  nervous  disease  called  the 
"shakes"  which  often  affects  hat  makers.  This  results 
from  exposure  to  dust  in  the  fur  which  has  been  treated  with 
cyanide  of  mercury,  and  because  in  the  finishing  of  felt 
hats,  the  fine,  mercurial  dust  gets  into  the  air  and  is  in- 
haled by  the  workers.  If  a  good  ventilating  system  is 
used,  this  danger  can  be  eliminated. 

In  brass  foundries,  where  mercury  is  added  to  the  alloy, 
the  men  who  are  obliged  to  stir  the  metal  and  inhale  the 
heavy  fumes  that  rise  from  it  suffer  from  diarrhea,  sweet 
taste  in  the  mouth,  sore  gums,  and  loosened  teeth.  In 
this  kind  of  work,  the  wearing  of  respirators  would  do  away 
with  the  harmful  effects  of  mercury. 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    POISONS   AND   FUMES     161 

In  card-clothing  factories,  where  the  cards  are  tempered 
with  mercury,  a  considerable  amount  of  that  metal  may  re- 
main in  the  teeth  of  the  machine.  In  finishing  the  cards,  a 
tool  is  passed  between  the  rows  of  teeth,  causing  a  fine  metallic 
dust,  which  may  be  inhaled  by  the  worker.  In  this  case, 
where  an  ordinary  exhaust  system  for  drawing  off  dust 
may  not  be  successful,  it  is  wise  for  the  operator  to  pro- 
tect his  clothing  with  overalls,  to  wear  a  respirator,  and  to 
pay  strict  attention  to  personal  cleanliness. 

In  the  manufacture  of  thermometers,  barometers,  mirrors, 
dry  electric  batteries,  in  chemical  works,  lithographing, 
gilding,  and  in  the  making  of  ammunition  for  firearms,  the 
workers  must  come  in  contact  with  mercury.  In  the  mak- 
ing of  ammunition,  for  instance,  there  is  grave  danger  from 
the  use  of  mercury  in  the  form  of  fulminate.  Even  under 
the  best  conditions,  the  workers  are  taken  only  after  physi- 
cal examination  as  to  fitness.  The  fine  particles  in  the  air 
are  a  serious  menace  to  the  health  of  the  average  worker. 
In  one  establishment,  about  six  years  ago,  a  very  efficient 
ventilating  system  was  installed,  by  which  the  air  is  washed, 
tempered,  and  distributed  by  pipes  so  as  to  reach  every 
part  of  the  workroom.  To  show  how  the  ventilating  sys- 
tem improved  the  working  conditions,  the  foreman  of  this 
workroom,  who  did  not  handle  any  of  the  material,  was 
formerly  obliged  to  give  up  work  for  months  at  a  time,  as  a 
result  of  the  mercury  in  the  air.  Now  he  is  able  to  do  his 
work  without  any  of  the  distressing  symptoms  due  to  the 
influence  of  mercury. 

Thorough  ventilation  should  be  the  rule  for  those  who  are 
obliged  to  work  with  mercury,  and  an  eight-hour  day  would 
tend  to  reduce  the  risk. 


1 62  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

Brass  and  bronze.  —  Workers  in  brass  foundries  are  ex- 
posed to  the  dust  or  fumes  which  result  in  what  is  known  as 
"  brass  founders'  ague."  Seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  men 
new  to  the  work  are  said  to  be  stricken  with  this  disease, 
which,  however,  does  not  always  have  the  symptoms  of  ague. 
The  poisoned  men  suffer  from  pains  in  the  back,  chills, 
fever,  headache,  general  weakness,  and  soreness  in  the  chest. 
Thorough  ventilation  and  proper  washing  conveniences 
should  be  provided  by  employers,  but,  as  yet,  these  pre- 
ventive measures  in  brass  foundries  have  not  been  given  the 
attention  they  deserve. 

Workers  in  bronze  are  subject  to  headache,  loss  of  appe- 
tite, nausea,  and  disturbances  of  the  throat  and  chest.  In 
many  bronzing  rooms,  in  spite  of  ventilating  systems,  the 
air  is  filled  with  bronze  dust,  and  the  workers  are  fre- 
quently covered  from  head  to  foot,  as  if  encased  in  armor. 
In  such  places,  special  clothing  should  be  worn,  removed 
at  night,  and  frequently  washed.  The  hands,  face,  and 
mouth  should  be  washed  thoroughly  before  eating  and 
drinking. 

Dyes.  —  Dyeing,  bleaching,  and  cleaning  are  all  occu- 
pations more  or  less  dangerous  to  those  engaged  in  them,  on 
account  of  the  fumes  and  vapors  rising  from  the  dyestuffs 
and  chemicals  used  in  the  various  processes. 

The  symptoms  of  aniline  poisoning,  in  a  mild  form,  are 
loss  of  appetite,  headache,  dizziness,  and  weakness,  and  the 
sufferer  should  promptly  receive  fresh-air  treatment.  The 
effects  of  a  more  serious  form  of  aniline  poisoning  are  weak- 
ness, nausea  and  vomiting,  a  disordered  nervous  system, 
palpitation  of  the  heart,  skin  eruptions,  and  stupor  which 
sometimes  results  in  death. 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    POISONS   AND   FUMES     163 


Acids.  —  The  manufacture  and  the  industrial  use  of  vari- 
ous acids,  such  as  hydrochloric,  sulphuric,  nitric,  and  other 
corrosive  acids,  have  an  injurious  effect  upon  the  eyes  and 
respiratory  organs  of  workers  who  handle  them.  Persons  with 
bronchial  troubles  are  fre- 
quently obliged  to  give  up 
work  of  this  kind.  Protec- 
tion should  be  given  by  a 
good  system  of  ventilation 
to  carry  off  the  acid  fumes, 
or  the  work  should  be  in- 
closed so  that  no  fumes 
may  escape.  Large  spec- 
tacles should  be  worn  to 
protect  the  eyes  from 
drops  of  caustic  liquids. 

Ammonia.  —  The  fumes 
of  ammonia  frequently 
overpower  the  workmen. 
Ample  ventilation  is  nec- 
essary in  ammonia  works, 
and  the  men  should  be  provided  with  respirators  and 
helmets  if  exposed  to  any  unusual  danger  from  the  fumes. 

Naphtha.  —  Naphtha,  which  is  used  in  cleansing  and  also 
in  the  rubber  industry  and  the  manufacture  of  patent  leather, 
sometimes  causes  a  condition  very  much  like  intoxication. 
New  workers  are  especially  susceptible  and  suffer  from 
headache,  dizziness,  nausea,  and  hysteria.  Acute  naphtha 
poisoning  sometimes  results  fatally. 

Petroleum.  —  Petroleum  and  benzine  vapors  cause  head- 
ache, dizziness,  and  loss  of  consciousness.  Workers  who 


Goggles  used  as  a  protection  against  acids 


1 64  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

handle  petroleum,  creosote,  coal  tar,  turpentine,  wood 
alcohol,  quinine,  and  chrome  pigments  used  in  tanneries 
are  subject  to  diseases  of  the  skin  on  the  face  and  hands  and 
inflammation  of  the  membranes  of  the  nose.  Such  workers 
should  wear  gloves  and  anoint  the  nose,  face,  and  hands 
with  clean  oil  or  grease. 

Gas.  —  Men  who  are  employed  in  gas  works,  blast  fur- 
naces, smelters,  or  about  coke  ovens,  are  frequently 
poisoned  by  coal  gas.  They  suffer  from  headache,  dizzi- 
ness, nausea,  drowsiness,  and  loss  of  consciousness.  If  not 
rescued  and  revived  in  time,  they  may  suffocate  and  die. 

Skins  and  hides.  —  Anthrax  is  a  parasitical  disease  that 
is  contracted  by  workers  who  are  obliged  to  handle  infected 
wool,  hair,  hides,  and  skins.  While  anthrax  is  not  very 
common  among  American  domestic  animals,  the  danger  of 
infection  is  always  present.  When  hides  and  hair  imported 
from  the  Far  East  are  handled,  the  danger  is  serious. 
Special  methods  of  ventilation  and  dust  removal  should  be 
provided  for  the  fine  particles  of  hair  and  wool.  In  spite  of 
ventilating  systems,  however,  a  certain  amount  of  dust  will 
escape  into  the  air,  against  which  the  workers  can  best 
protect  themselves  by  the  use  of  respirators. 

In  some  of  the  European  countries,  the  raw  material  is 
disinfected  before  it  is  handled  and  used  for  manufacturing 
purposes;  special  hoods  and  ducts  are  installed  to  carry 
away  the  dust  from  the  individual  worker ;  the  work  places 
are  disinfected  and  prompt  treatment  is  given  to  all  cuts 
and  slight  injuries,  to  prevent  infection. 

Intense  heat.  —  Stokers,  cooks,  bakers,  firemen,  black- 
smiths, men  who  handle  molten  metal,  and  workers  in  glass 
furnaces  all  suffer  from  the  effects  of  intense  heat.  They 


OCCUPATIONAL  DANGERS:    POISONS   AND   FUMES     165 


are  especially  susceptible  to  rheumatism,  catarrh,  pneu- 
monia, digestive  troubles,  and  heart  disease,  and  seldom  live 
as  long  as  the  average  worker. 

Workers  in  laundries  complain  of  the  oppressive  atmos- 
phere resulting  from  the  steam  and  the  vapors  that  rise 
from  the  chemicals  used  in  bleaching  and  disinfecting  cloth- 
ing. Starchers  sometimes 
suffer  from  nausea  as  a 
result  of  the  starching  pro- 
cess, and  the  workers  at 
the  mangles  and  ironing 
machines  complain  of  the 
intense  heat.  All  of  these 
conditions  could  be  alle- 
viated if  proper  attention 
were  paid  to  ventilation. 

Preventives.  —  These  in- 
dustrial poisonings  and  dis- 
comforts are  largely  pre- 
ventable. Dusts  and 
fumes  can  be  drawn  off  by 
effective  devices,  and,  in 
most  cases,  the  workers  can 
be  protected  against  those 
that  remain  by  the  wearing 
of  respirators.  Wet  pro- 
cesses can  be  substituted  for  dry,  dusty  ones ;  in  some  in- 
dustries, harmless  materials  may  be  used  instead  of  the 
poisonous  ones.  Personal  cleanliness  on  the'  part  of  the 
workers  themselves  and  cooperation  with  the  management 
in  the  use  of  respirators,  shields,  and  hoods  over  machines 


Injurious  vapors  being  drawn  off  through 
a  ventilating  hood 


1 66  HYGIENE   TOR  THE   WORKER 

and  pots  of  dangerous  substances  will  effect  a  greater 
degree  of  safety  and  health.  It  is  also  the  duty  of  the 
worker,  if  he  is  to  do  his  share  in  lessening  the  burden  and 
horrors  of  industrial  disease,  to  respect  any  sanitary  rules 
and  regulations  that  have  been  made  for  his  protection. 

SUGGESTIONS   FOR   THE    WORKER 

1.  Find  out  if  you  handle  lead,  arsenic,  phosphorus,  or 

mercury  in  any  form,  and  learn  to  avoid  poisoning. 
No  one  is  too  healthy  or  strong  to  make  reasonable 
care  necessary. 

2.  Familiarize  yourself  with  the  precautions  which  should 

be  taken  by  the  employer  to  safeguard  your  health. 
If  these  are  found  wanting,  tell  him  about  it.  If  they 
are  present,  avail  yourself  of  their  benefit  and  assist 
in  making  them  effective. 

3.  Follow  carefully  all  rules  laid  down  for  your  protection. 

4.  Use  respirators  and  other  protections  when  you  know  you 

should  do  so,  even  if  they  are  uncomfortable. 

5.  Regular  hygienic  living  is  the  most  important  protection 

for  the  health  of  the  worker. 


CHAPTER  XV 

FIRE 

Benefits  of  fire.  —  Not  only  has  fire  served  man  in  the 
cooking  of  his  food  and  the  warming  of  his  dwelling  against 
the  inclemencies  of  the  weather,  but  it  has  also  enabled  him 
to  make  glass  for  his  windows,  dishes,  and  vessels  of  utility 
and  beauty;  it  has  made  possible  the  exploits  and  dis- 
coveries of  chemistry,  and,  indirectly,  through  the  telescope, 
microscope,  and  spectroscope,  has  brought  within  the  range 
of  human  knowledge  the  marvels  of  the  heavens  and  of  the 
varied  forms  of  life  hidden  from  the  unaided  eye ;  it  has 
helped  to  fashion  the  tools  of  man,  from  the  spade  and  pick 
of  the  laborer  in  the  streets,  to  the  delicate  instruments  of 
the  surgeon  and  the  scientific  investigator;  it  has  given 
him  the  means  of  transportation,  "  Twentieth  Century 
Limiteds  "  and  "  ocean  greyhounds,"  that  have  broken 
through  the  barriers  of  time  and  distance  and  made  isolated 
communities  and  nations  known  to  each  other. 

So  one  might  enumerate  indefinitely  the  benefits  of  civili- 
zation directly  or  indirectly  traceable  to  the  agency  of  fire. 

Loss  from  fire.  —  Now  let  us  look  at  the  other  side  of  the 
picture.  In  spite  of  all  its  blessings,  fire  is  the  most  de- 
structive, the  most  terrible,  the  most  baffling  of  the  enemies 
of  mankind. 

The  National  Board  of  Fire  Underwriters  presents  an 
interesting  comparative  study  of  fire  loss  in  this  country 
and  abroad  during  the  year  1910. 

167 


1 68  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

The  United  States  Census  population  for  1910,  of  the 
297  cities  reporting  loss,  is  29,996,723,  with  a  total  loss  of 
$7I>559>°57>  a  Per  capita  loss,  as  stated,  of  $2.39,  as  opposed 
to  a  per  capita  loss  of  19  cents  in  Germany,  for  the  same 
year. 

COUNTRY          CITIES  REPORTING  Loss         POPULATION  PER  CAPITA  Loss 

United  States  297  29,996,723  $2.39 

France  8  4,392,529  .92 

England  n  2,335,847  .44 

Germany  13  5,616,822  .19 

$214,003,300  represents  the  total  property  loss  from  fire 
for  the  entire  United  States,  for  the  year  1910. 

In  New  York  alone,  with  its  population  of  over  four  and 
a  half  millions,  there  occurred,  in  the  year  of  1910,  more  than 
14,000  fires,  with  a  total  loss,  insured  and  uninsured,  of 
$8,581,831. 

In  Ex-Chief  Croker's  own  words :  "  The  Fire  Depart- 
ment of  Greater  New  York  is  greater  than  the  combined 
departments  of  the  next  five  largest  cities,  and  in  spite  of 
this  the  fire  losses  in  life  and  property  and  the  dangers  of 
frightful  holocausts  in  New  York  are  steadily  increasing. 
The  battle  against  flames  has  been  a  losing  fight,  all  things 
considered." 

Between  1900  and  1909,  our  national  population  increased 
73  per  cent,  but  our  fire  loss  increased  134  per  cent.  And 
the  number  of  fires  continues  to  increase.  As  a  nation,  we 
burn  up  each  year  one  half  the  value  of  the  buildings  we  take 
the  pains  that  year  to  erect. 

Human  loss.  —  Reliable  statistics  of  the  number  of  lives 
lost  by  fire  in  this  country  are  wanting,  as  this  phase  of  the 
question  has  never  been  made  the  subject  of  governmental 


FIRE  169 

or  state  inquiry;  but  we  do  know  that,  since  1903,  five  fires 
alone,  that  at  the  Collingwood  schoolhouse,  the  Iroquois 
Theater  in  Chicago,  the  moving  picture  entertainment  in 
Boyertown,  and,  in  "New  York  City,  the  burning  of  the 
steamer  General  Slocum,  and  the  latest  tragedy,  the  Asch 
Building  fire,  are  responsible  for  the  deaths  of  2100  inno- 
cent persons,  to  say  nothing  of  the  shock  and  injury  to  the 
thousands  who  barely  escaped  with  their  lives. 

The  fact  that  the  European  rate  of  loss  is  far  below  our 
own  clearly  indicates  that  a  sense  of  responsibility,  intelli- 
gent supervision,  better  fire  laws,  and  a  more  strict  enforce- 
ment of  them  have  much  to  do  with  the  prevention  of  fires. 
Under  the  forms  of  government  peculiar  to  the  European 
countries  the  individual  is  held  accountable,  not  only  for 
fires  occurring  on  his  own  property,  but  also  for  any  damage 
or  loss  to  his  neighbors  through  a  fire  that  results  from  a 
violation  of  responsibility.  Wise  building  laws  have  been 
framed  and  enforced  regulating  the  hazards  of  occupancy 
with  great  strictness,  thus  lessening  the  possibilities  of  dan- 
gerous conflagrations. 

Causes  of  fires.  —  Ex-Chief  Croker  says :  "  At  least  50 
per  cent  of  our  great  loss  in  property  and  human  life  is 
preventable,  and  is  directly  due  to  inexcusable  carelessness," 
and  gives  in  his  opinion  the  chief  causes  for  fires  occurring 
in  a  city  like  New  York,  in  the  following  order :  — 

1.  Carelessness  in  factories,  which,  in  most  cases,  means 

dirt  and  rubbish  and  oily  waste. 

2.  Carelessness  in  the  use  of  matches. 

3.  Bad  electrical  wiring. 

4.  Careless  housekeeping. 

5.  Dark   and   dirty   hallways.       People,   at   night,   light 


170  HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 

matches  to  find  their  way  about,  throw  the  matches 
into  corners  filled  with  rubbish,  and  a  few  hours  later 
a  call  is  sent  in  for  the  firemen. 

6.  Dark  basements.     Tenants  go  downstairs  after  coal  or 

wood,  with  a  candle  or  with  matches.  A  startling 
number  of  bad  fires  begin  in  this  way. 

7.  Oil  stoves. 

8.  Old-fashioned  oil  lamps. 

9.  Cigar  and  cigarette  stubs. 

Very  great  fires  result  from  small  beginnings.  One  recent 
tragedy  resulted  from  the  carelessness  of  a  smoker.  The 
factory  and  the  people  working  in  it  were  not  fireproof,  and 
143  girls  were  killed  by  a  blaze  that  would  hardly  have 
been  mentioned  in  the  papers,  but  for  the  loss  of  life.  The 
building  was  not  deathproof,  and  "  the  best  fire  depart- 
ment in  the  world"  was  powerless  to  prevent  the  holocaust. 

It  is  plain  to  be  seen,  therefore,  that,  in  addition  to  the 
fireproof  construction  of  the  building,  it  is  imperative  that 
other  means  be  considered  to  make  it  deathproof. 

Preventive  measures.  —  Floor  areas  should  be  as  small 
as  the  demands  of  the  business  will  permit.  Large  floor 
areas  increase  the  dangers  of  fire,  on  account  of  the  wide 
sweep  they  give  the  flames. 

The  floors  should  have  as  few  openings  as  possible,  and  the 
walls,  partitions,  floors,  and  roof  should  be  constructed  of 
substantial,  fire-resisting  materials.  Metallic  doors  and 
trim  should  be  employed. 

The  United  States  Government,  realizing  the  importance 
of  protection  against  fire,  in  its  newest  battleships,  the  Utah 
and  the  Florida,  specified  metallic  doors  and  trim. 

Windows  and  doors  should  be  protected  by  modern  pro- 


FIRE 


171 


tective  coverings  to  prevent  the  spread  of  fire  from  one 
room  to  another  and  from  one  building  to  another.  Parti- 
tions of  metal,  fire  doors  and  shutters,  and  wire  glass  win- 
dows now  cost  very  little  and  __ 
prevent  the  spreading  of  flames. 

Elevators  and  stairways 
should  be  separated  and  in- 
closed in  brick  and  fire-resist- 
ing shafts  with  fireproof  doors. 

Fire  escapes  should  be  con- 
structed with  fireproof  stair- 
ways, -inclosed  in  brick  or  fire- 
resisting  shafts,  with  outside 
balconies  having  doors  swing- 
ing outward  from  the  building 
and  inward  from  the  balcony  to 
the  stairway  escape. 

It  is  now  generally  conceded 
that  the  old-fashioned  skeleton 
iron  fire  escape  is  utterly  inade- 
quate for  use  on  a  ten-,  twenty-, 
or  thirty-story  structure,  not 
only  because  such  escapes  are 
usually  located  in  front  of  windows  out  of  which  smoke  and 
fire  may  be  pouring,  but  also  because  of  the  difficulty  for 
great  numbers  of  people  in  getting  down  the  narrow  stair- 
ways that  are  little  better  than  ladders.  It  has  been  esti- 
mated that,  in  the  case  of  one  recent  fire,  the  employees  on 
the  upper  floors  could  not  have  reached  the  street  by  such 
an  escape  in  less  than  three  hours,  and  the  fire  allowed  them 
about  three  minutes  ! 


Fire  door  of  metal 


172 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


State  Fire  Marshal.  —  If  the  office  of  State  Fire  Mar- 
shal were  created  by  every  commonwealth  and  the  fire  mar- 
shal and  his  deputies  given  power  to  enforce  good  fire  pre- 
vention laws,  to  investigate  and,  if  necessary,  prosecute 
cases  of  arson  and  criminal  carelessness  in  the  starting  or 
spreading  of  fires,  ascertain  their  causes,  and  by  the  distri- 
bution of  literature  educate  the  citizen  to  the  real  need  of 
care  and  forethought  in  the  protection  of  life  and  property,  a 
great  conserving  of  our  national  resources  would  instantly 
follow. 

In  this  connection,  it  is  interesting  to  study  the  work  of  the 
State  Fire  Marshal's  Department  of  Ohio,  which  has  car- 
ried its  campaign  of  education  into  the  public  schools  of  the 
state.  Under  the  law,  this  department  was  instructed  to 
prepare  elementary  textbooks  on  the  chemistry  of  fire,  the 
causes  of  fires  in  our  homes,  how  to  guard  against  them  and 
how  to  hold  the  fire  in  check  until  the  arrival  of  the  firemen. 
The  law  further  directs  and  makes  it  a  duty  of  the  teachers 
in  the  schools  throughout  the  state  to  devote  at  least  thirty 
minutes  in  each  month,  during  the  school  year,  to  instruc- 
tion on  this  subject.  The  publication  and  distribution  of 
these  books  Is  made  under  the  supervision  of  the  State  School 
Commissioner.  The  opinion  in  Ohio,  at  the  present  time,  is 
that  the  plan  has  more  than  met  their  expectations. 

Fire-fighting  appliances.  —  Complete  equipment  for  dis- 
covering and  fighting  incipient  fires  will  minimize  fire  losses 
and  protect  life.  It  is  really  an  abuse  of  fireproof  con- 
struction not  to  provide  such  apparatus.  Every  factory, 
warehouse,  and  loft  building  should  be  equipped  with 
such  appliances,  which  should  be  frequently  tested  with 
a  view  to  their  efficiency.  These  cover  a  wide  range, 


FIRE 


173 


from  the  pails  and  casks  filled  with  water  or  sand,  up  to 
the  various  styles  of  chemical  extinguishers,  standpipes  and 
hose,  fire  pumps,  automatic  alarms,  and  automatic  sprinkler 
systems. 

The  automatic  sprinkler  is  a  device  which  is  always  pre- 
pared to  extinguish  a  fire  at  the  point  and  time  of  its  break- 
ing out,  as  the  heat 
from  the  flames  sets 
it  in  motion.  With 
proper  water  supply 
under  necessary 
pressure  behind  it, 
this  sprinkler,  in  al- 
most any  locality 
where  the  delivery 
of  its  spray  is  unob- 
structed, has  demon- 
strated itself  to  be 
the  most  efficient 
fire-fighting  device 
yet  invented ;  it  is 
always  in  the  right 
place  at  the  right 
time,  ready  for  any  emergency,  and  performs  its  work 
without  dependence  on  the  human  element. 

Fire  brigades  and  drills.  —  In  order,  however,  to  secure 
from  all  these  devices  the  most  satisfactory  measure  of  ef- 
ficiency in  times  of  need,  it  is  necessary  that  employers  and 
workpeople  should  be  familiar  with  their  use.  This  can 
be  accomplished  only  through  the  organization  of  private 
fire  brigades  and  fire  drills,  by  means  of  which  the  weaker 


A  shop  equipped  with  an  automatic  sprinkler 


174  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

members  of  the  force  may  be  immediately  conducted  to 
safety,  while  a  selected  few  of  the  most  strong  and  reli- 
able employees,  who  have  been  thoroughly  drilled  in  the 
use  of  the  appliances,  form  a  fire  brigade  for  the  protection 
of  the  factory  until  the  arrival  of  the  regular  fire  department. 

In  any  large  building  where  a  great  number  of  people  are 
gathered  together,  these  drills  can  be  carried  out  just  as 
effectively  as  they  are  in  our  public  schools. 

Personal  efforts.  —  But  we  need  not  be  employers  of 
labor  or  workers  in  a  factory  ourselves  to  assist  in  the  cam- 
paign for  fire  prevention  and  fire  protection.  Each  of  us 
can  start  right  now  to  add  his  individual  efforts  in  putting 
a  stop  to  the  numerous  fires,  and  in  saving  a  part  of  the  mil- 
lions of  dollars  which  go  up  in  flames  and  smoke  every  year. 

If  we  are  householders  or  housekeepers,  we  can  at  once 
resolve  to  keep  our  premises  always  cleaned  up.  We  can 
see  that  greasy  rags,  filth,  and  rubbish  are  not  allowed  to 
collect  in  closets,  cellars,  and  dark  corners.  Oily  rags  may 
be  kept  in  metal  cans  with  covers.  Gasoline,  kerosene,  and 
other  explosive  and  volatile  liquids  we  may  keep  in  safety 
cans  now  manufactured  for  that  purpose. 

We  should  never  use  gasoline  in  a  closed  room,  or  in  a  room 
where  there  is  an  open  flame  or  fire.  A  lighted  cigar  carried 
into  a  room  in  which  gasoline  is  being  used  will  explode  the 
air  in  it. 

We  can  exercise  greater  care  in  the  trimming  of  our 
Christmas  trees,  selecting  decorations  that  will  not  burn 
easily,  and  doing  away  with  the  customary  tissue  paper, 
cotton  batting,  and  celluloid  trimmings.  We  can  see  to  it 
that  a  bucket  of  water  stands  near  the  tree,  if  it  is  lighted 
with  candles. 


FIRE  175 

We  can  also  resolve  to  be  more  careful  in  the  use  of  gas  for 
cooking  and  lighting  purposes.  Never  turn  on  the  gas  unless 
you  have  a  match  ready  in  your  hand  to  light  it.  Many 
explosions  have  occurred  when  the  gas  was  turned  on  too 
long  before  the  match  was  used. 

Smokers  should  be  less  careless  in  throwing  away  their 
matches  and  cigar  stubs.  Many  a  match  tossed  away 
while  still  lighted  has  been  responsible  for  a  serious  fire. 

We  should  never  use  dangerous  matches,  the  heads  of 
which  so  frequently  snap  and  fly  off,  setting  fire  to  waste 
paper,  lace  curtains,  and  clothing,  particularly  the  clothing 
of  women. 

We  cannot  be  too  careful  with  matches.  We  should 
never  leave  them  lying  about  loose.  It  is  much  better  to 
use  only  "  safety  "  matches,  which  will  ignite  only  when 
scratched  on  the  box  in  which  they  are  sold,  but  if  these 
cannot  be  procured  as  cheaply  as  the  ordinary  match,  we 
should  keep  the  latter  in  a  safe  place  and  exercise  care  in 
its  use. 

We  can  make  our  Fourth  of  July  a  safe  and  sane  holiday, 
instead  of  encouraging  the  excitement,  useless  noises,  fires, 
and  accidents  now  due  to  the  sale  of  dangerous  fireworks. 

Below  are  given  ten  rules  suggested  by  Ex-Chief  Croker 
for  guidance  in  case  of  fire. 

TEN   RULES   FOR   GUIDANCE   IN   CASE   OF   FIRE 

1 .  Cleanliness  in  the  home  is  an  important  preventive  of  fire.     Accumu- 
lations of  waste  often  cause  fires  by  spontaneous  combustion,  while 
dust,  rubbish,  and  similar  material  help  to  spread  the  flames. 

2.  Get  well  acquainted  with  the  surroundings.     In  strange  houses  or 
hotels,  the  location  of  fire  escapes  should  be  noted  before  going  to  bed. 


1 76  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

Employees  of  large  factories  and  tenants  of  large  buildings  should 
make  it  an  imperative  duty  to  know  the  location  of  all  fire  exits. 

3.  At  the  first  sign  of  fire  do  not  run  away  from  it.     When  first  dis- 
covered, many  fires  could  be  put  out  by  a  bucket  of  water,  or  a  rug 
thrown  over  the  blaze. 

4.  Fire  drills  should  become  a  fixed  law.     They  should  be  required  in 
all  places  where  a  considerable  number  of  people  are  employed,  as 
they  are  required  in  the  schools  and  on  passenger  and  naval  vessels. 

5.  Everybody  should  learn  to  use  fire  appliances.     This  would  result 
in  the  prompt  extinguishing  'of  many  fires  and  a  great  decrease  of 
personal  and  property  injury. 

6.  No  matter  how  close  the  fire,  make  every  effort  to  keep  calm.     Do 
not  lose  control  of  yourself  and  thus  run  additional  risk. 

7.  At  any  cost,  calm  the  fears  of  little  children.     They  are  usually 
more  excited  by  the  fear  shown  by  others  than  by  the  danger  itself. 

8.  Do  not  be  too  hasty  to  jump  from  high  places.    Many  terrible  acci- 
dents and  fatalities  have  resulted  from  people  "losing  their  heads" 
and  jumping  when  a  few  moments'  delay  and  a  little  coolness  might 
have  saved  them. 

9.  Do  not  resist  a  fireman  attempting  to  rescue  you.     Many  fatalities 
have  resulted   from  men,  and  particularly  women,  refusing   to   be 
taken  down  the  ladders  because  scantily  clad. 

10.  In  case  of  much  smoke,  try  to  get  a  wet  cloth  about  the  mouth.  A 
wet  towel  or  sponge  over  the  mouth  and  nostrils  will  enable  one  to  go 
through  a  smoke-filled  passage.  Remember  there  is  nearly  always 
air  free  from  smoke  close  to  the  floor. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

FIRST   AID   TO  THE  INJURED 

The  importance  of  attending  to  slight  wounds.  —  No 
injury  is  too  slight  to  receive  immediate  attention.  In 
addition  to  lessening  the  soreness  or  pain  that  exists,  a  more 
serious  disability  may  be  prevented. 

The  average  man  is  careless  about  slight  wounds  and  does 
not  like  to  bring  them  to  the  attention  of  his  foreman  or 
superintendent;  if  these  do  not  interfere  with  the  work  in 
hand,  no  attention  is  paid  to  them.  This  indifference  on  the 
part  of  the  workman,  however,  may  lead  to  serious  results. 

The  danger  of  blood  poisoning  is  always  present  in  the 
case  of  even  the  smallest  wound.  The  worker's  hands  are 
usually  dirty,  and  the  wound  is  wrapped  or  plastered  with- 
out being  cleansed  and  disinfected;  the  nail  upon  which 
the  worker's  hand  or  foot  has  been  torn  may  be  rusty;  or 
poisonous  dyes  and  other  materials  may  get  into  the  wound 
from  contact  with  the  work,  and  the  result  is  a  serious  in- 
fection. 

Slight  physical  ills  as  well  as  minor  injuries  interfere  with 
the  regularity  of  the  work.  If  taken  in  time,  they  yield  at 
once  to  treatment  and  the  workers  suffer  no  loss  of  time 
and  wages ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  employer  suffers  no  loss 
from  an  idle  machine  and  a  lessened  output. 

Factory  hospital  rooms.  —  The  best  organized  shops 
and  workrooms  now  keep  a  supply  of  appliances  and  reme- 

177 


178  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

dies  on  hand  for  emergencies  and  have  also  found  it  helpful 
to  drill  a  few  reliable  employees  in  the  principles  of  first- 
aid  treatment. 

One  large  manufacturing  company  decided  to  make  a 
careful  study  of  the  number  of  men  who  were  off  from  work 
on  account  of  slight  injuries,  not  serious  in  themselves,  but 
which,  through  the  lack  of  proper  antiseptic  treatment,  had 
become  infected  and  dangerous.  Some  of  their  most  skilled 
and  highest  paid  mechanics  were  obliged  to  quit  work 
for  several  days  on  account  of  a  cut  or  bruise  that  had 
become  serious.  The  records  showed  that,  on  an  average, 
as  many  as  half  a  dozen  men  were  away  from  work  every 
day  for  this  reason.  As  it  was  the  policy  of  this  company 
to  pay  wages  for  a  portion  of  the  time  lost  by  employees 
through  injuries,  this  meant  a  double  loss  to  the  company. 

They  decided  that  they  not  only  could  do  away  with  the 
dangers  of  such  slight  injuries,  but  also  could  save  the 
employees'  wages  and  the  loss  resulting  from  the  decreased 
production  and  holding  up  of  important  work. 

So  the  company  equipped  an  emergency  hospital  with 
every  necessary  appliance  and  convenience,  and  placed 
a  physician  and  a  trained  nurse  in  charge  of  it.  The 
doctor's  entire  time  is  given  to  the  hospital  work  and  the 
nurse  assists  him  every  morning  in  dressing  and  redressing 
wounds.  In  the  afternoons,  the  nurse's  time  is  given  up  to 
visiting  the  sick  or  injured  employees  at  home,  as  well  as 
any  members  of  their  families  who  may  need  her  care. 

As  a  result  of  this  emergency  work,  the  company  found 
that  in  one  year,  out  of  about  four  thousand  cuts,  bruises, 
sprains,  etc.,  that  occurred  in  their  plant,  only  about  four 
a  month  became  infected.  The  company  has  kept  a  careful 


FIRST  AID  TO  THE  INJURED  179 

record  of  these  cases  and  believes  that  the  large  number  of 
minor  injuries  is  not  unusual  in  a  plant  like  their  own,  which 
is  one  of  the  best-equipped  with  safety  devices  and  measures 
for  the  prevention  of  accidents.  They  believe  that  any 
modern,  well-equipped  shop,  employing  the  same  number 
of  workers,  would  have  just  as  large  a  number  of  slight 
injuries  and  should  give  them  the  same  care. 

With  regard  to  the  treatment  of  such  minor  ailments  as 
colds,  headaches,  indigestion,  sore  throat,  and  cramps,  this 
company  believes  it  is  more  profitable  to  the  worker,  as  well 
as  to  themselves,  to  treat  the  condition  and  relieve  the  suffer- 
ing in  the  factory  hospital,  sending  the  employee  back  to 
work  within  an  hour,  than  it  is  to  have  him  lose  an  entire 
day  on  account  of  illness.  The  company  doctor  is  also  in  a 
position  to  prevent  a  great  deal  of  illness  that  might  other- 
wise prove  serious,  by  prescribing  for  the  employee  upon 
the  first  appearance  of  the  symptoms  of  any  disease.  The 
workers  take  the  doctor  into  their  confidence,  and  he  is 
thus  able  to  help  them  keep  in  better  physical  condition. 

One  industrialist  believed  that  it  was  poor  economy  for 
him  to  build  and  maintain  a  hospital  for  his  own  plant, 
located  in  a  large  city,  so  he  hired  a  ward  in  one  of  the  largest 
city  hospitals,  and  installed  his  own  surgeons  and  nurses. 

The  cots  or.  beds  are  inclosed  with  curtains,  giving  each 
patient  the  privacy  of  a  separate  room.  As  soon  as  a  man 
arrives  at  this  ward,  his  clothing  is  removed  and  he  is  fitted 
out  with  sterilized  garments  until  he  leaves  the  hospital. 
The  patients  are  provided  with  games,  reading,  amuse- 
ments, and  diversions  during  their  convalescence. 

The  visiting  nurse.  —  In  addition  to  the  company  doc- 
tor or  surgeon,  and  trained  nurse,  whose  services  are  always 


i8o  HYGIENE   FOR  THE   WORKER 

available  in  the  factory  hospital  or  emergency  room,  many 
industrial  establishments  employing  a  great  number  of 
workers  have  come  to  look  upon  the  visiting  nurse  as  a  very 
important  factor  in  efficiency  and  of  valuable  assistance  in 
promoting  good  will  and  understanding  between  themselves 
and  their  employees. 

According  to  the  records  of  one  manufacturing  company, 
their  visiting  nurse  made,  in  one  year,  989  personal  calls  at 
the  homes  of  employees,  on  account  of  illness  or  accident 
to  the  workers  or  to  members  of  their  families.  This  com- 
pany reports  that  it  has  many  calls  from  homes  of  their 
employees  on  account  of  illness  of  the  wife  and  children. 
Before  the  nurse  was  engaged,  it  was  very  common  for  some 
of  the  most  valuable  employees  to  be  called  away  from  work 
on  this  account.  Now,  instead  of  the  men  going  home, 
the  nurse  is  sent.  Nine  times  out  of  ten  she  can  be 
of  greater  assistance  than  the  husband,  father,  or  other 
relative.  The  nurse's  work  among  the  women  employees 
is  even  more  valuable,  and  her  advice  is  sought  at  all  times 
by  those  who  go  to  her  with  their  troubles,  as  well  as  their 
ailments. 

The  visiting  nurse  also  proves  valuable  to  the  manage- 
ment and  employees  when  she  acts  as  a  go-between  and 
medium  of  good  will  and  interest,  especially  when  an 
employee  has  been  injured  and  is  obliged  to  be  away  from 
work.  At  such  a  time,  an  assurance  from  the  nurse  that 
the  company  will  deal  fairly  with  the  injured  worker  has 
created  the  proper  mental  attitude,  and  the  worker  has  no 
desire  to  bring  suit  for  damages  against  the  company. 

A  notice  in  a  large  leather  factory  calls  attention  to  the 
fact  that  the  company  offers,  free  to  its  employees,  or 


FIRST  AID  TO  THE  INJURED  181 

members  of  the  employees'  families,  the  aid  of  the  com- 
pany's nurse  in  case  of  sickness  or  injury.  Part  of  the  no- 
tice reads :  - 

"  In  case  any  employee  or  member  of  any  employee's  family  is 
seriously  sick  or  disabled,  and  wants  the  services  of  the  nurse, 
the  company  will  have  its  trained  nurse  visit  the  patient. 

THERE  WILL  BE  NO  CHARGE  OF  ANY  KIND 

Report  cases  of  sickness  or  disability,  where  the  services  of  the 
nurse  are  wanted,  to  your  foreman  or  to  the  Accident  Depart- 
ment." 

Effective  emergency  work.  —  First  aid  must  be  prompt 
to  be  effective.  One  plant  has  its  own  surgeon  instruct 
classes  of  foremen  and  those  having  other  men  in  charge, 
in  the  principles  of  first-aid  treatment.  They  are  taught 
just  what  to  do  in  case  a  man  is  injured,  and  how  to  take 
care  of  the  different  kinds  of  injuries.  The  instructions  are 
of  benefit  to  these  men,  not  only  in  the  works,  but  in  their 
own  homes,  on  the  street,  or  wherever  they  may  be  in  the 
presence  of  persons  needing  emergency  treatment. 

Emergency  work  to  be  effective  should  be  systematized. 
Some  one  should  be  placed  in  charge  of  the  supplies,  whose 
duty  is  to  see  that  they  are  kept  in  good  condition  in  a  clean 
place,  that  the  stock  does  not  run  low,  and  that  fresh  mate- 
rial is  procured  whenever  necessary.  A  complete  inspection 
of  the  emergency  outfit  should  be  made  at  least  once  a  month, 
to  be  sure  that  everything  is  in  its  proper  place,  instantly 
available  in  the  moment  of  need. 

Instruction  should  be  given  to  the  foremen  and  to  re- 
liable members  of  the  working  staff,  who  should  be  care- 
fully trained  in  individual  and  team  work  and  given  prac- 


182 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


tice  drills  as  often  as  possible.     Some  kind  of  signal  should  be 
used  as  an  emergency  call  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  first- 


Red  Cross  emergency  outfit 

aid  corps  on  any  floor  or  building  of  an  industrial  establish- 
ment, in  order  that  the  members  may  instantly  respond. 

Efficiency  and  quickness  in  emergency  treatment  should 
be  encouraged  by  competition  between  different  members 
and  groups,  prizes  and  medals  being  awarded  for  the  best 
individual  and  team  work. 

Some  large  companies,  especially  those  operating  rail- 
roads and  mines,  have  encouraged  this  kind  of  work  by 
having  field  days  or  meets,  when  the  picked  men  and  teams 
from  the  different  companies  are  given  an  opportunity  to 
show  their  skill,  and  to  compete  for  honors  and  prizes. 

WHAT   TO    DO    IN   EMERGENCIES 

Send  for  the  doctor  at  once.  Until  he  arrives  do  all  you  can  to 
relieve  the  sufferer. 


FIRST  AID   TO  THE  INJURED 


183 


Fainting.  The  symptoms  of  fainting  are  unconsciousness,  weak 
pulse,  pale,  bloodless  face. 

Lay  the  patient  down  at  once,  in  such  a  position  that  his  head  may 
be  lower  than  the  rest  of  the  body,  thus  allowing  the  blood  to  flow  to- 
wards the  brain.  If  the  patient  is  in  a  chair,  it  may  be  gently  lowered 
until  the  back  and  head  rest  upon  the  floor.  Keep  away  the  crowd 


How  to  restore  a  fainting  person 

and  admit  plenty  of  fresh  air.  Hold  a  handkerchief  or  bit  of  gauze 
saturated  with  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  to  the  patient's  nostrils. 
When  he  regains  consciousness,  give  him  a  drink  of  cool  water  and 
allow  him  to  rest  for  a  while. 

Sunstroke.  The  symptoms  are  complete  unconsciousness,  red 
face,  skin  hot  and  dry,  and,  sometimes,  convulsions. 

Remove  the  patient's  clothing,  and  either  place  him  in  a  bathtub 
of  cold  water  or  wrap  him  in  a  wet  sheet,  kept  cold  by  frequent 


1 84 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 


sprinkling.  Cloths  wrung  out  in  ice  water  and  placed  on  the  back  of 
the  head  and  neck,  or  the  application  of  an  ice  bag  to  the  head,  will 
also  help  to  reduce  the  temperature.  Stimulants  may  be  given,  but 
not  in  excess. 

Heat  exhaustion.  This  is  a  milder  form  of  sunstroke,  in  which  the 
face  is  usually  pale,  instead  of  red,  and  the  skin  more  or  less  moist  and 
cool.  Loosen  the  patient's  clothing,  let  him  rest  in  a  cool,  quiet 
place,  and  give  him  stimulants  in  small  doses.  In  this  case,  the  tem- 
perature should  not  be  reduced. 

Electric  shock.  In  cases  of  electric  shock,  there  may  be  instan- 
taneous death  or  only  temporary  unconsciousness,  but  the  treatment 
must  be  given  just  the  same,  as  life  may  not  be  extinct  where  the  per- 


Performing  artificial  respiration 

son  appears  to  be  dead.  If  a  person  is  shocked  by  coming  in  contact 
with  a  live  wire  or  through  a  short  circuit  with  some  kind  of  electrical 
apparatus,  he  must  be  separated  from  the  electricity  immediately.  Do 
not  attempt  to  pull  him  away,  however,  with  your  bare  hands.  Your 
hands  should  be  covered  with  rubber  gloves  and,  if  possible,  you  should 
stand  on  a  piece  of  rubber. 


FIRST  AID   TO  THE  INJURED  185 

Take  the  patient  immediately  into  the  fresh  air  and  perform  arti- 
ficial respiration  as  follows:  — 

Loosen  the  patient's  clothing  at  the  neck  and  waist.  Bare  his  legs 
and  arms  and  have  some  one  rub  and  slap  them  vigorously.  Place  the 
patient  face  downwards  and  turn  his  head  to  one  side.  Kneel  astride 
the  hips,  placing  your  hands  with  the  thumbs  nearly  touching,  fingers 
out,  just  below  the  shoulder  blades  and  over  the  lower  ribs.  Press 
down  and  forward  quickly,  with  your  whole  weight,  by  swinging 
forward  till  your  shoulders  are  above  your  hands.  Keep  up  this  pres- 
sure for  three  full  seconds.  Release  the  pressure  and  swing  back, 
keeping  your  hands  in  place  and  the  arms  straight,  and  wait  for  three 
full  seconds,  then  repeat.  The  movements  should  be  quick  and 
vigorous.  Keep  them  up  until  consciousness  is  restored,  or  an  hour 
and  a  half  has  passed  after  all  signs  of  life  have  ceased. 

(Learn  this  process  of  artificial  respiration  carefully  for  it  is  of 
great  use  in  treating  drowning  or  asphyxiation  by  gas.) 

During  the  process  of  artificial  respiration,  the  rubbing  of  the  pa- 
tient's body  should  be  kept  up,  and  some  one  should  apply  spirits  of 
ammonia  to  his  nostrils.  When  he  becomes  conscious,  give  him  a  half- 
teaspoonful  of  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  in  a  third  of  a  glass  of 
water.  Place  hot  bricks  or  bottles  of  hot  water  around  him  and  let  him 
rest.  It  is  important  to  remember  that  persons  apparently  dead 
after  some  one  has  spent  an  hour  in  performing  the  motions  of  artificial 
respiration,  have  nevertheless  been  brought  to  life  by  the  perseverance 
of  the  person  in  charge. 

Asphyxiation  by  gas.  The  symptoms  are  headache,  dizziness,  and 
nausea,  if  only  s'ightly  affected;  but,  in  more  serious  cases,  these  are 
followed  by  unconsciousness. 

The  patient  should  be  taken  immediately  into  the  fresh  air.  In 
the  lighter  cases,  loosen  his  clothing  and  give  a  dose  of  effervescing 
phosphate  of  soda,  followed  in  about  five  minutes  by  a  half  teaspoonful 
of  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  in  a  third  of  a  glass  of  water.  Walk  the 
patient  around  until  he  recovers. 

In  case  of  complete  unconsciousness,  perform  artificial  respiration 
until  the  patient  begins  to  breathe.  Rub  his  legs  and  pass  the  spirits 
of  ammonia  under  the  nostrils  as  long  as  he  is  unconscious.  After 
he  regains  consciousness,  give  him  the  same  dose  of  aromatic  spirits 


1 86 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 


LAYER  OF 
\  OIL 


LINEN 
/BANDAGE 


Proper  dressing  for  a  burn 


of  ammonia  prescribed  above,  place  bottles  of  hot  water  around  him, 
and  let  him  rest. 

Burns.     Burns  may  be  caused  by  fire,  hot  water,  hot  metals,  or 
chemicals.    The  skin  may  be  very  red,  blistered,  or  charred.     If  the 

burns  are  severe  or  much 
of  the  surface  of  the  body 
is  injured,  they  may  prove 
fatal. 

If  a  person's  clothing 
is  on  fire,  dash  water  over 
him  and  throw  him  down 
and  wrap  him  in  anything 
heavy  that  happens  to 
be  at  hand,  such  as  a 
blanket,  a  piece  of  carpet,  a  table  cover,  or  a  coat. 

Cut  his  clothing  away  with  a  pair  of  scissors,  and  if  any  part  of 
it  sticks  fast  to  the  flesh,  do  not  attempt  to  remove  it.  To  keep 
the  air  away  from  burns  is  the  first  principle  of  treatment.  The 
best  way  to  do  this  is  to  keep  the  injured  part  in  water  till  the  doc- 
tor comes.  A  simple  burn  may  be  treated  with  a  paste  of  water 
and  baking  soda,  or  vaseline,  sweet  oil,  lard,  cream,  or  a  mixture  of 
equal  parts  of  limewater  and  linseed  oil,  covering  it  with  a  piece  of 
oiled  silk,  light  cloth,  or 
parafnne  paper,  and  fas- 
tening the  whole  securely 
with  a  bandage. 

Don't  open  blisters  un- 
til 24  hours  or  more  have 
elapsed. 

In  case  of  acid  burns, 
wash  off  the  acid  immedi- 
ately with  large  quanti- 
ties of  water.  After  this,  apply  water  and  baking  soda,  limewater, 
or  soapsuds,  until  all  signs  of  the  acid  have  disappeared.  The  paste 
of  baking  soda  and  water  is  best  in  this  case,  because  the  soda  is  an 
alkali.  If  the  mouth  has  been  burned  by  acid,  or  acid  has  gotten 
into  the  stomach,  drink  limewater,  milk,  lithia,  or  vichy  water  freely. 


A  cross-section  of  a  blister,  showing  Nature's  way 
of  dressing  a  bum 


FIRST  AID  TO  THE  INJURED 


In  case  of  burns  from  alkalies,  wash  the  burns  with  water  and  weak 
acid*  like  lemon  juice,  vinegar,  cider,  etc.,  after  which  they  may  be 
treated  and  bandaged  like  other  burns.  If  lime  has  splashed  into  the 
eyes  and  burned  them,  wash  them  with  olive  oil,  or  a  very  weak  solu- 
tion of  vinegar. 

Frost  bites  and  freezing.  If  the  ears,  nose,  fingers,  toes  arms,  or 
legs  have  been  frozen  through  exposure  to  extreme  cold,  do  not  bring 
the  person  near  a  fire.  Rub  the  frozen  parts  with  cold  water  or  snow, 
and  after  they  have  been  thawed  out,  the  patient  may  be  taken  into 
a  moderately  warm  room  and  given  hot  drinks.  Sometimes,  if  the 
patient  is  unconscious,  artificial  respiration  must  be  performed. 

Cuts  and  wounds.     All  cuts  and  wounds,  no   matter  how  small, 
should  be  washed  and  cleansed  with  warm  water  and  some  antiseptic 
solution  such  as  a  i  to 
5000  solution  of  bichlo-  COLLODION 

ride  of  mercury.     If  the  \ 

wounds  are  very  dirty, 
they  should  be  washed 
with  soap  and  water. 
Bring  the  edges  of  the 
wound  together  and  bind 
with  a  compress,  which  is 
a  clean  folded  cloth,  usu- 
ally cheesecloth,  that  has 
been  dipped  in  an  anti- 
septic solution.  If  a  wound  is  very  slight,  after  the  bleeding  has  been 
stopped  and  it  has  been  cleansed,  a  bit  of  adhesive  plaster  is  all  that 
is  necessary.  Never  put  on  collodion  or  "newskin"  unless  you  are 
sure  the  wound  is  absolutely  clean. 

Bleeding  may  be  of  three  kinds;  from  the  arteries,  veins,  or  capil- 
laries. When  an  artery  has  been  injured,  the  blood  is  bright  red  and 
sometimes  spurts  to  a  great  distance.  Such  an  injury  is  serious. 
While  waiting  for  the  doctor,  try  putting  a  compress  on  the  wound, 
fastening  it  with  a  tight  bandage.  If  the  bleeding  continues,  twist 
a  piece  of  elastic,  a  handkerchief,  or  a  necktie  tightly  above  the  wound ; 
that  is,  between  it  and  the  trunk,  pressing  the  artery  against  the 
bone.  When  you  place  a  lead  pencil  or  stick  between  the  cloth  and 


Cross-section  of  the  skin,  showing  collodion 
placed  on  a  dirty  cut 


1 88  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

the  limb,  you  make  what  is  called  a  tourniquet,  and  by  twisting  it,  you 
will  stop  the  flow  of  blood. 

If  a  vein  has  been  injured,  the  flow  of  blood  is  steady  and  dark  in 
color.  When  capillaries  have  been  injured,  the  blood  seems  to  ooze 
out  from  many  little  openings.  Apply  compresses  directly  to  the 
wound  and  fasten  with  a  tight  bandage. 

Nosebleed  may  frequently  be  stopped  by  chewing  vigorously  on 
a  wad  of  paper.  Never  give  stimulants  for  any  kind  of  bleeding. 

Sprains.  While  waiting  for  the  doctor,  in  the  case  of  a  sprained  wrist 
or  ankle,  place  the  patient's  hand  or  foot  in  hot  water,  increasing  the 
temperature  as  much  as  possible.  If  hot  water  is  not  at  hand,  then  let 
cold  water  run  on  the  injured  joint.  This  treatment  reduces  the  swell- 
ing and  lessens  the  pain.  Place  cotton  batting  over  the  joint  and  band- 
age it  tightly.  Pour  witch-hazel  or  some  other  soothing  liniment  over 
the  bandage,  and  place  the  limb  higher  than  the  rest  of  the  body  by  let- 
ting it  rest  on  a  cushion  or  chair.  Do  not  paint  the  joint  with  iodine. 

Drowning.  To  rescue  a  drowning  person,  always  try  to  pull  him 
out  with  an  oar,  a  rope,  a  coat,  or,  if  you  jump  in  after  him,  try  to  get 
your  left  arm  around  his  neck  with  his  back  to  you.  Hold  him  away 
and  swim  on  your  back,  so  that  he  will  not  struggle  and  clutch  you, 
thus  impeding  your  movements  and,  perhaps,  causing  you  to  drown 
also.  If  life  seems  extinct,  hold  the  drowned  person  with  head  down 
or  roll  him  across  a  barrel  for  a  moment  only  in  order  to  empty  his 
lungs  of  water.  Loosen  his  clothing,  rub  the  arms  and  legs,  apply 
stimulants,  and  perform  artificial  respiration  until  his  breathing  is 
regular.  Keep  him  dry  and  warm,  placing  him  between  hot  blankets 
and  surrounding  him  with  bottles  of  hot  water. 

Broken  limbs  and  ribs.  If  an  arm,  leg,  collar  bone,  or  rib  is  broken, 
do  not  move  the  sufferer,  but  make  him  as  comfortable  as  you  can  and 
send  for  a  surgeon  immediately.  Never  attempt  to  se.t  the  bone, 
but  wait  for  the  arrival  of  the  surgeon. 

Poisoning.  In  most  cases  of  poisoning,  the  principal  thing  to  do  is  to 
empty  the  stomach  and  bowels  of  the  sufferer  and  give  an  antidote  for 
the  poison  that  has  been  swallowed.  Poisons  may  be  taken  by  mis- 
take or  with  suicidal  intentions,  and  you  will  find  the  victim  suffering 
severe  pains  in  the  stomach  and  abdomen,  or  insensible,  breathing 
heavily,  sometimes  in  delirium  and  convulsions. 


FIRST  AID  TO  THE  INJURED  189 

If  Paris  green,  sugar  of  lead,  corrosive  sublimate,  rat  poison,  sul- 
phuric, muriatic,  nitric,  carbolic  or  oxalic  acid  has  been  taken,  make 
the  patient  drink  quantities  of  milk ;  or  give  him  the  whites  of  a  couple 
of  eggs,  or  flour  stirred  in  water.  If  an  acid  has  been  taken,  give  lime- 
water,  baking  soda,  or  magnesia ;  if  carbolic  acid  has  been  swallowed, 
wash  out  the  patient's  mouth  with  alcohol  and  give  him  whisky  to 
drink.  If  the  poison  is  an  alkali,  give  lemon  juice,  or  a  tablespoonful 
of  vinegar  in  water. 

In  the  case  of  poisoning  from  opium,  morphine,  strychnine,  lauda- 
num, and  other  poisons  that  produce  heavy  stupor,  give  black  coffee 
and  endeavor  to  keep  the  patient  awake.  If  he  seems  to  collapse,  per- 
form artificial  respiration  and  put  hot  applications  against  the  ab- 
domen and  legs. 

Ptomaine  poisoning  is  caused  by  eating  meat  or  fish  that  is  tainted. 
Give  the  victim  a  dose  of  Epsom  salts  or  castor  oil.  If  he  is  unable 
to  keep  the  dose  down  on  account  of  nausea,  then  give  him 
a  grain  of  calomel  every  hour  for  four  or  five  doses.  Do  not  give 
any  food  until  a  physician  advises  it. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

WHAT  THE   WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT 

Laws  protecting  the  worker.  —  There  are  many  laws 
which  are  designed  to  protect  the  young  worker  from  dis- 
comfort, danger,  and  long  hours.  Every  one  should  learn 
as  much  about  these  laws  as  possible  before  beginning  work, 
so  that  he  may  protect  himself  and  others.  Employers  are 
becoming  more  and  more  alert  to  regard  the  welfare  of  those 
they  employ,  but  much  that  is  important  to  you  may  escape 
their  notice.  It  is  the  business  of  the  worker  to  inform  the 
employer  of  any  matter  of  this  kind  which  should  be  brought 
to  his  notice,  and  a  committee  representing  the  employees 
will  no  doubt  be  accorded  a  hearing. 

Each  state  has  its  own  laws,  but  they  cannot  all  be  given 
here.  The  laws  of  the  state  of  New  York  are  typical. 
The  laws  of  the  state  in  which  you  live  may  be  obtained  by 
writing  to  the  secretary  of  your  state  at  the  capitol  or  to  the 
commissioner  of  labor. 

The  most  important  of  the  laws  affecting  labor  are  those 
relating  to  employment  certificates,  and  to  the  earliest  age 
at  which  you  will  be  allowed  to  work,  and  you  should  regard 
these  long  before  you  propose  to  begin. 
.  The  compulsory  education  laws  of  the  state  of  New  York 
are  given  in  the  Appendix,  pp.  223-225. 

The  employment  certificate.  —  The  most  important  thing 
for  you  to  do,  if  you  wish  to  go  to  work  before  you  are  six- 
teen years  old,  is  to  get  an  employment  certificate.  You 

190 


WHAT  THE  WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT      191 

should  have  been  graduated  from  the  elementary  school,  or  at 
least  passed  the  sixth-year  work.  If  not,  you  must  ask  your 
principal  for  an  examination.  If  you  were  born  abroad,  you 
should  send,  with  a  fee,  to  the  registrar  of  your  town  or  to 
the  parish  priest,  for  your  birth  certificate,  and  for  this  you 
must  allow  at  least  six  months,  for  there  are  many  delays. 

An  employment  certificate  must  be  signed,  in  the  presence 
of  the  officer  who  issues  it,  by  the  young  person  in  whose 
name  it  is  made  out.  It  must  state  the  date  and  place  of 
birth,  the  color  of  the  hair  and  eyes,  the  height  and  weight, 
and  any  distinguishing  facial  marks  of  the  one  in  whose 
name  it  is  issued;  it  must  also  state  that  all  the  papers 
required  have  been  examined,  approved,  and  filed. 

Every  person  owning  or  managing  a  factory  is  obliged  to 
keep  a  record  of  the  name,  birthplace,  age,  and  residence  of 
all  persons  employed  under  the  age  of  sixteen  years.  These 
records  and  the  certificates  that  have  been  received  from 
the  young  persons  must  be  produced  on  the  demand  of  the 
commissioner  of  labor,  if  there  is  any  doubt  about  the  ages 
of  any  of  the  workers. 

Special  provisions  for  women  and  minors.  —  No  person 
under  the  age  of  sixteen  years  is  now  permitted  to  work,  or 
to  be  employed  in  or  in  connection  with  any  mercantile 
establishment,  business  office,  telegraph  office,  restaurant, 
hotel,  apartment  house,  theater,  or  other  place  of  amuse- 
ment, bowling  alley,  barber  shop,  shoe-polishing  establish- 
ment, or  in  the  distributing  or  delivery  of  articles  of  merchan- 
dise or  messages,  or  in  the  sale  of  articles,  more  than  six 
days  or  fifty-four  hours  in  any  one  week,  or  more  than 
nine  hours  in  any  one  day,  or  before  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning  or  after  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  any  day. 


192 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 


No  female  employee  between  sixteen  and  twenty-one 
years  of  age  is  to  be  required  or  permitted  to  work  in  or  in 
connection  with  any  mercantile  establishment  more  than 
sixty  hours  in  any  one  week,  or  more  than  ten  hours  in  any 
one  day,  unless  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  shorter  work 
day  at  some  other  time  in  the  week ;  or  before  seven  o'clock 

in  the  morning,  or 
after  ten  o'clock  in 
the  evening  of  any 
one  day.  This  sec- 
tion does  not  apply, 
however,  to  the  em- 
ployment of  persons 
sixteen  years  of  age 
and  upward,  be- 
tween the  i 8th  day 
of  December  and  the 
following  24th  day 
of  December,  inclu- 
sive. 

Not  less  than  forty- 
five  minutes  must  be 
allowed  for  the  noon- 
day meal  of  em- 
ployees in  such  estab- 
lishments, and  whenever  any  employee  is  permitted  to  work 
after  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  at  least  twenty  minutes 
must  be  allowed  for  lunch  or  supper  between  five  and  seven 
o'clock  in  the  evening. 

No  child  under  the  age  of  fourteen  is  allowed  to  work  at  all 
in  connection  with  these  establishments,  while  no  one  under 


Overtime  work  at  Christmas  is  a  pleasure 


WHAT  THE  WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT   193 

the  age  of  sixteen  years  can  be  employed  in  them,  without 
having  first  secured  the  employment  certificate  already 
described. 

Under  the  age  of  sixteen  years,  no  one  is  allowed  to  work  in 
a  factory  in  this  state,  before  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  or 
after  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  any  day,  or  for  more  than 
eight  hours  in  any  one  day,  or  more  than  six  days  in  a  week. 

No  boy  under  eighteen  years  of  age  is  allowed  to  work  in 
any  factory  more  than  six  days  or  sixty  hours  in  any  one 
week,  or  for  more  than  ten  hours  in  any  one  day  (except  in 
accordance  with  special  regulations)  or  between  the  hours 
of  twelve  at  midnight  and  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

No  girls  and  women  may  work  in  a  factory  before  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  or  after  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening 
of  any  one  day,  or  more  than  six  days  or  sixty  hours  in  any 
one  week,  or  for  more  than  ten  hours  in  any  day,  except 
in  accordance  with  the  special  provisions. 

Special  provisions  are  made  by  the  commissioner  of 
labor  for  certain  factories  which,  on  account  of  the  nature 
of  the  work,  believe  it  to  be  impossible  to  fix  the  hours  of 
labor  weekly  in  advance  and  are  unable  to  post  in  the  work- 
rooms the  notice,  giving  the  number  of  hours  per  day  for 
each  day  of  the  week,  as  required  by  law.  A  young  woman 
over  sixteen  years  of  age  or  a  young  man  between  sixteen 
and  eighteen  years  of  age  may  work  in  a  factory  longer  than 
ten  hours  a  day,  under  certain  conditions.  They  may  work 
longer  on  five  days  of  the  week,  in  order  to  make  a  short  day 
or  holiday  on  one  of  the  six  working  days  of  the  week ;  or  on 
not  more  than  three  days  of  any  week,  they  may  work  over- 
time, provided  that  they  do  not  work  more  than  twelve  hours 
in  any  one  day,  or  more  than  sixty  hours  in  any  one  week. 


I94  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

Dangerous  trades  prohibited  to  women  and  minors.  — 
Certain  kinds  of  work  considered  dangerous  are  absolutely 
prohibited  to  women  and  children.  No  child  under  the  age 
of  sixteen  years  is  allowed  to  work  on  circular  or  band  saws, 
wood  shapers,  wood  jointers,  planers,  sandpapering  or  wood- 
polishing  machinery ;  machines  used  in  picking  wool,  cotton, 
hair,  or  other  upholstery  materials;  paper  lace  machines; 
burnishing  machines  in  tanneries  and  leather  factories; 
job  presses  or  cylinder  printing  presses  that  are  run  other- 
wise than  by  the  foot ;  wood  turning  and  boring  machines ; 
drill  presses ;  corner  staying  machines  in  box  making ;  stamp- 
ing machines  used  in  sheet  metal  and  tinware  manufacturing 
or  in  washer  and  nut  factories;  machines  used  in  making 
corrugating  rolls ;  steam  boilers ;  dough  brakes ;  wire  or  iron 
straightening  machinery;  rolling  mill  machinery,  power 
punches  or  shears ;  washing,  grinding,  or  mixing  machinery ; 
calender  rolls  in  rubber  factories ;  or  laundering  machinery. 

No  child  under  the  age  of  sixteen  years  is  permitted  to 
adjust  or  to  help  adjust  machinery  belts,  to  oil,  wipe,  or 
clean  machinery;  to  work  with  dangerous  and  poisonous 
acids;  to  work  in  the  manufacturing  or  packing  of  paints, 
colors,  or  red  and  white  lead ;  in  dipping,  dyeing,  or  packing 
matches ;  in  the  manufacture,  packing,  or  storing  of  powder, 
dynamite,  and  other  explosives;  in  or  about  any  distil- 
lery or  brewery,  or  place  where  alcoholic  liquors  are  made, 
packed,  wrapped,  or  bottled. 

No  girl  under  the  age  of  sixteen  is  allowed  to  work  in  any 
capacity  where  she  is  obliged  to  stand  constantly. 

No  child  under  the  age  of  sixteen  is  allowed  to  be  in 
charge,  to  manage,  or  to  run  a  freight  or  passenger  elevator/ 
while  no  one  under  the  age  of  eighteen  is  permitted  to  oper- 


WHAT  THE  WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT      195 

ate  an  elevator,  either  for  freight  or  passengers,  running  at  a 
greater  speed  than  two  hundred  feet  a  minute. 

No  woman  under  twenty-one  or  young  man  under  the  age 
of  eighteen  years  is  allowed  to  clean  machinery  while  it  is 
in  motion. 

No  young  man  under  eighteen  years,  or  any  woman  is 
allowed  to  run  any  kind  of  polishing  or  buffing  wheels,  in 
connection  with  the  manufacturing  of  articles  from  iron, 
steel,  tin,  and  other  base  metals. 

The  length  of  the  day's  work.  —  According  to  the  labor 
laws  at  present  in  force  in  the  state  of  New  York,  the  term 
"  factory  "  is  used  to  designate  any  mill,  workshop,  or  other 
manufacturing  or  business  establishment  where  one  or  more 
persons  are  employed  at  labor.  The  term  "  mercantile 
establishment  "  means  any  place  where  goods,  wares,  or 
merchandise  are  offered  for  sale. 

In  New  York  State  eight  hours  constitute  the  legal  work- 
ing day  for  all  employees,  except  those  persons  working  as 
domestic  servants,  or  employed  on  farms.  Exceptions  are 
also  made  in  the  case  of  workers  in  brickyards,  on  street, 
surface,  and  elevated  railroads,  in  drug  stores  and  phar- 
macies. 

Ten  hours  outside  of  the  necessary  time  for  meals  is  a 
legal  working  day  for  brickmakers.  Employees  in  brick- 
yards are  not  obliged  to  work  more  than  ten  hours  in  any 
one  day  or  to  commence  work  before  seven  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  However,  overwork  and  extra  time  before  seven 
o'clock  are  allowed  with  extra  compensation,  if  the  em- 
ployer and  employee  agree  upon  the  same. 

Ten  consecutive  hours,  with  a  half  hour  for  dinner  in- 
cluded, are  legal  hours  for  all  who  work  on  street,  surface, 


196  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

and  elevated  railroads,  which  are  operated  within  the  limits 
of  cities  of  the  first  and  second  class.  Employees  of  these 
railroads  are  not  allowed  to  work  more  than  ten  consecu- 
tive hours  in  any  one  day  of  twenty-four  hours,  but  in 
cases  of  accident  or  unavoidable  delay  they  may  work  over- 
time for  extra  compensation. 

Ten  hours  is  also  the  legal  limit  for  workers  on  steam,  sur- 
face, and  elevated  railroads  in  the  state,  except  where  the 
mileage  system  is  in  operation.  Conductors,  engineers, 
firemen,  and  trainmen  may  work  extra  hours,  in  case  of 
accidents  and  delay  on  account  of  accidents,  but  for  each 
hour  of  work  performed  in  addition  to  the  legal  ten  hours, 
the  worker  must  be  paid  in  addition  to  the  regular  wage 
at  least  one  tenth  of  the  daily  compensation.  No  conduc- 
tor, engineer,  fireman,  or  trainman  who  has  been  obliged  to 
work  for  twenty-four  consecutive  hours  is  allowed  to  go  on 
duty  again  or  perform  any  kind  of  work  until  he  has  had  at 
least  eight  hours  of  rest. 

In  the  case  of  block-system  telegraph  and  telephone 
operators,  and  signalmen  on  surface,  subway,  and  elevated 
railroads,  the  law  prohibits  a  working  period  longer  than 
eight  hours  in  a  day  of  twenty-four  hours,  "  except  in  cases 
of  extraordinary  emergency  caused  by  accident,  fire,  flood, 
or  danger  to  life  or  property."  For  each  hour  of  extra  work 
performed  by  this  class  of  workers,  it  is  provided  that  they 
shall  receive  additional  compensation  of  at  least  one  eighth 
of  the  daily  wage. 

These  provisions  do  not  apply,  however,  to  railroads 
where  not  more  than  eight  regular  passenger  trains  pass 
each  way  in  twenty-four  hours,  unless  twenty  freight  trains 
pass  each  way  in  the  same  length  of  time. 


WHAT  THE  WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT   197 

A  new  law  provides  that  no  apprentice  or  employee  in 
any  pharmacy  or  drug  store  shall  be  permitted  to  work 
more  than  seventy  hours  a  week.  A  clerk  may  work 
overtime  in  one  week,  but  the  total  number  of  hours 
worked  in  two  consecutive  weeks  must  not  be  more  than 
one  hundred  thirty-two  hours.  Every  worker  is  entitled 
to  one  full  day  off  in  two  consecutive  weeks.  No  pro- 
prietor of  any  pharmacy  or  drug  store  can  require  a 
clerk  to  sleep  in  any  room  or  apartment  connected  with  the 
store  that  is  unsanitary  and  unhealthful. 

Unfortunately,  these  restrictions  with  regard  to  hours  of 
labor  do  not  include  the  prohibition  of  overtime,  for  the  law 
distinctly  states  that,  in  the  general  provision  made  for  an 
eight-hour  day,  it  "  does  not  prevent  an  agreement  for  over- 
work at  an  increased  compensation." 

Special  provisions.  —  Every  manufacturing,  mining, 
quarrying,  mercantile,  railroad,  street  railway,  canal, 
steamboat,  telegraph,  telephone,  and  express  company, 
every  company  gathering  and  storing  ice,  every  private 
water  company  and  every  person,  firm,  or  corporation  en- 
gaged as  a  contractor  or  subcontractor  in  any  public  work 
for  the  state  or  any  city  of  the  state  must  pay  the  wages 
of  their  employees  in  cash.  No  person,  company,  or  cor- 
poration is  allowed  to  pay  wages  in  what  is  called  "  store 
money  orders,"  obliging  the  workers  to  take  out  the  equiva- 
lent of  their  wages  in  supplies  bought  from  a  store  owned 
or  controlled  by  the  person,  company,  or  corporation  em- 
ploying them.  The  owning  or  managing  of  what  is  called  a 
"  company  store  "  is  prohibited  by  the  state  of  New  York, 
if  at  the  time  there  is  any  other  store  within  two  miles  of  the 
place  where  the  work  is  being  done. 


198  HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 

Sanitary  regulations.  —  Sanitary  conditions  in  workplaces 
are  regulated  by  laws  providing  for  air  space,  lighting, 
cleanliness,  ventilation,  cuspidors,  drinking  water,  wash 
rooms,  toilets,  time  allowed  for  meals,  seats  for  women 
employees,  and  dust  removal. 

No  more  employees  are  permitted  to  work  in  a  factory 
room,  between  the  hours  of  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  and 
six  in  the  evening,  than  will  allow  to  each  250  cubic  feet  of 
air  space;  and  unless  the  written  permit  of  the  commissioner 
of  labor  allows  otherwise,  400  cubic  feet  must  be  provided 
for  each  worker  employed  between  the  hours  of  six  o'clock 
in  the  evening  and  six  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Workrooms,  halls,  and  stairs  leading  to  workrooms  must 
be  properly  lighted. 

The  walls  and  ceilings  of  workrooms  must  be  limewashed, 
or  painted;  floors  must  be  kept  clean  and  sanitary  and  suit- 
able receptacles  provided  for  waste  and  refuse;  buildings 
must  be  well  drained  and  the  plumbing  kept  in  clean, 
sanitary  condition. 

In  every  workroom,  proper  and  sufficient  means  of  venti- 
lation must  be  provided  and  maintained.  In  the  case  of 
excessive  heat,  steam,  gases,  vapors,  and  dust,  or  other 
impurities  getting  into  the  air  from  the  work,  the  work- 
rooms must  be  ventilated  in  such  a  manner  as  to  render 
these  conditions  harmless  to  the  workers. 

Sanitary  cuspidors  must  be  provided  and  cleaned  daily. 
This  regulation,  especially  the  number  of  cuspidors  to  be 
provided,  lies  within  the  discretion  of  the  commissioner  of 
labor.  It  is  against  the  law  to  spit  upon  the  walls,  floors, 
or  stairs  of  any  building  used  in  whole  or  in  part  for  factory 
purposes. 


WHAT  THE  WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT      199 

A  sufficient  supply  of  clean,  pure  drinking  water  must  be 
provided;  if  it  is  placed  in  receptacles  in  the  factory,  these 
must  be  kept  covered  and  frequently  cleaned. 

Suitable  and  proper  wash  rooms  and  water-closets  are 
required  by  law.  Where  women  are  employed  in  factories, 
dressing  rooms  must  also  be  provided.  In  brass  and  iron 
foundries,  provision  must  be  made  for  drying  the  working 
clothes  of  the  employees.  Water-closets  must  be  properly 
screened,  lighted,  ventilated,  and  kept  clean  and  sanitary. 

In  factories,  at  least  sixty  minutes  must  be  allowed  for  the 
midday  meal,  unless  the  commissioner  of  labor  permits  a 
shorter  time.  The  same  rule  for  a  lunch  period  when  work- 
ing overtime  applies  to  factories  as  in  the  case  of  mercantile 
establishments;  that  is,  at  least  twenty  minutes  must  be 
allowed  for  lunch  if  employees  are  obliged  to  work  after 
six  o'clock. 

Every  person  employing  women  in  a  factory  or  as  wait- 
resses in  a  hotel  or  restaurant  must  provide  suitable  seats 
for  their  use ;  in  stores  and  other  mercantile  establishments, 
at  least  one  seat  for  every  three  females  employed  must  be 
provided  and  the  use  of  such  seats  must  be  allowed. 

Grinding,  polishing,  and  buffing  wheels  used  in  manu- 
facturing articles  of  the  baser  metals  must  be  furnished  with 
proper  hoods  and  exhaust  pipes  to  carry  away  the  dust  and 
impurities  that  are  thrown  off  in  the  work. 

Other  regulations.  —  According  to  the  laws  of  the  state 
of  New  York  persons  in  charge  of  any  building,  construc- 
tion, excavating,  or  engineering  work,  or  of  factories,  must 
keep  a  correct  record  of  all  deaths,  accidents,  and  injuries, 
and  within  48  hours  after  the  time  of  the  death,  accident, 
or  injury  make  a  report  to  the  commissioner  of  labor, 


2OO 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 


stating  as  fully  as  possible  the  cause  of  death,  the  extent 
and  cause  of  injury,  the  place  where  the  injured  person  has 
been  sent,  and  such  other  information  as  the  commissioner 
may  require. 

A  new  law  has  been  passed  requiring  every  physician 
who  is  called  upon  to  treat  a  patient  suffering  from  lead, 
phosphorus,  arsenic,  or  mercury  poisoning,  or  from  the 

effects  of  compressed  air, 
or  from  anthrax,  to  report 
the  case  to  the  commis- 
sioner of  labor. 

Regulations  for  safety  in 
workshops  include  provi- 
sions for  safeguards  for 
vats,  pans,  belting,  and 
other  dangerous  machin- 
ery. Machinery  must  be 
provided  with  loose  pul- 
leys and  mechanical  belt- 
shifters  wherever  possible. 
If  machinery  is  in  a  dan- 
gerous condition,  or  not 
properly  guarded,  the  com- 
missioner of  labor  has  the 
power  to  prohibit  its  use. 
Guards  must  not  be  re- 

The  elevator  operator  is  responsible  for       moved  from  dangerOUS  ma- 
the  safety  of  many 

chines    except     to    make 

repairs,  after  which  they  must  be  promptly  replaced.  When 
the  commissioner  of  labor  prohibits  the  use  of  dangerous 
machinery,  a  notice  is  attached  to  it,  which  may  not  be 


WHAT  THE  WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT   201 


removed  until  the  dangerous  condition  is  remedied  or 
safeguards  provided.  Until  this  is  done,  the  machinery  is 
not  to  be  used. 

In  factories  where  elevators,  hoisting  shafts,  or  wells  are 
used,  these  must  be  properly  inclosed  or  guarded  with  auto- 
matic traps  and  doors.  Proper  stairways  must  be  provided 
with  substantial  hand- 
rails, the  steps  of  the 
stairs  covered  with 
rubber,  and  the  sides 
andbottomofthestairs 
properly  screened. 
All  doors  leading  in  or 
to  a  factory  must  be 
so  constructed  as  to 
open  outwardly,  and 
are  not  to  be  locked, 
bolted,  or  fastened 
during  working  hours. 
Every  factory  must 
be  provided  with  fire 
escapes. 

In  the  construction 
of  buildings  in  cities, 
suitable  scaffolding 
must  be  provided  for  the  safety  of  the  workmen.  Scaf- 
folding that  is  twenty  feet  or  more  from  the  ground  or  floor 
must  be  furnished  with  a  safety  rail.  Floors  must  be  laid 
or  planked  over  to  within  two  stories  of  the  height  of  a 
building  in  course  of  construction. 

More    recent   laws.  —  Three    special   laws   directly   or 


Scaffolding  with  safety  rails 


202  HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 

indirectly  affecting  the  safety  of  workers  in  New  York  were 
passed  recently.  One  of  these  provides  for  the  increase  of 
the  force  of  state  factory  inspectors  from  52  to  85,  and  for  a 
better  organization  of  the  work  of  inspection. 

Another  law  created  the  office  of  State  Fire  Marshal, 
whose  duty  is  to  enforce  all  laws  and  ordinances  of  the 
state,  except  in  cities  having  over  one  million  inhabitants, 
with  regard  to  the  prevention  of  fire,  the  storage,  sale,  and 
use  of  explosives,  the  installing  of  automatic  fire  alarm  and 
fire  extinguishing  systems,  the  inspection  of  steam  boilers, 
the  construction,  maintenance,  and  regulation  of  fire  escapes, 
the  means  and  safety  of  exit  in  cases  of  fire  in  all  places  where 
people  work,  live,  or  assemble  from  time  to  time,  and  the 
investigation  of  the  cause,  origin,  and  circumstances  of  fires. 

A  third  law  incorporated  the  American  Museum  of  Safety, 
whose  object  is  to  help  solve  the  problems  of  industrial 
accidents,  largely  by  means  of  education  as  to  the  causes  of 
accidents  and  the  methods  of  preventing  them.  To  the 
director  of  this  museum  any  worker  may  apply  for  advice. 

POINTS    TO   REMEMBER 

1.  Prepare  in   advance   to  get  working  papers   by  doing 

your  school  work  as  well  as  possible  and  obtaining 
your  birth  certificate  before  you  need  it.  The 
better  school  education  you  have,  the  easier  it  is  to 
make  your  way  upward  in  any  work. 

2.  Inform  yourself  of  the  kind  of  work  that  is  permitted 

to  one  of  your  age. 

3.  Do  not   become  a  lawbreaker   even   though  it  seems 

hard  to    be  restricted  in   your   choice.     Laws  are 


WHAT  THE  WORKER  HAS  A  RIGHT  TO  EXPECT      203 

wisely  made  for  your  protection  and  do  not  reflect 
upon  your  courage  or  ability. 

4.  By  all  means  find  out  the  legal  length  of  the  working 

day  and  week  for  your  trade  and  get  your  due  on 
overtime.  Remember  that  you  must  preserve 
your  vital  capital  of  health  and  that  overtime  costs 
you  all  the  added  wages  you  get.  Meet  your 
employer  more  than  halfway  and  make  his  interests 
your  own. 

5.  See  to  it  that  you  know  all   the   sanitary   regulations 

concerning  your  work.  If  they  are  lacking,  organ- 
ize a  committee  and  inform  your  employer. 

6.  Cooperate  with  your  employer  in  improving  conditions. 

He  will  always  be  won  by  the  economic  value  of  the 
welfare  of  his  employees. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

SEASONAL   HYGIENE 

Cold  weather.  —  Keeping  well  is  mainly  a  matter  of 
good  daily  hygienic  habits.  It  is  necessary,  however,  to 
make  special  adjustments  to  very  hot  and  very  cold  weather 
to  avoid  discomfort  and  disease. 

The  body  is  kept  warm  because  chemical  changes 
constantly  occurring  within  it  cause  heat.  The  greatest 
of  these  processes  is  oxidation,  which  is  just  like  the 
burning  of  a  fire,  only  much  slower.  Oxidation  occurs 
more  rapidly  when  muscles  are  exercised  and  this  is  the 
reason  why  we  thrash  our  arms,  stamp,  and  run  when  we 
wish  to  get  warm.  It  explains  also  why  we  shiver  when  we 
are  cold,  for  the  little  muscles  in  the  skin  automatically 
contract  many  times  a  minute  in  their  endeavor  to  warm 
the  surface  of  the  body. 

Food. — We  must  therefore  exercise  more  when  it  is  cold. 
To  do  this  we  need  more  food.  The  best  foods  for  cold  weather 
are  the  fats  and  carbohydrates,  because  these  are  oxidized 
into  water  and  carbonic  acid  gas  without  leaving  much 
waste  behind.  Proteids  should  be  increased  a  little  to 
replace  worn-out  tissue,  but  not  very  much.  The  Eskimos 
know  this  instinctively,  and  are  fond  of  fats  and  feast 
upon  the  raw  blubber  of  the  whale. 

As  we  have  seen,  food  is  of  little  use  unless  well  digested, 
so  in  cold  weather  particular  care  should  be  exercised  in 

204 


SEASONAL  HYGIENE  205 

eating  slowly,  in  masticating  thoroughly,  and  in  avoiding 
constipation. 

The  use  of  alcohol  is  particularly  dangerous  in  cold 
weather,  for  it  brings  the  blood  to  the  surface,  making  us 
feel  warm  for  a  while,  but  really  chilling  the  blood  much 
too  fast  and  reducing  the  vitality. 

Clothing. — Linen  mesh  underwear  is  expensive,  but  the 
best ;  cotton  may  be  worn,  but  it  retains  moisture ;  light  wool 
underclothing  is  next  best  after  the  linen  mesh.  If  forced 
to  remain  long  in  the  cold,  remember  that  an  extra  woolen 
shirt  is  worth  more  than  an  extra  overcoat.  A  paper  vest 
is  better  than  a  sheepskin  jacket,  and  fur  clothing  is  usually 
bad.  If  you  are  warm  from  work  at  the  end  of  the  day,  wash 
with  tepid  water  as  thoroughly  as  possible,  change  the  un- 
derclothes, and  cool  off  before  going  out.  This  is  very  im- 
portant, for  a  tired  man  takes  cold  easily. 

Rubbers  should  be  worn  to  avoid  wet  feet.  If  the 
clothing  is  wet,  it  should  be  changed  at  once  and  a  brisk 
rub  taken. 

Frost  bite  and  freezing. — When  the  cold  is  intense, 
rub  the  ears  occasionally  with  the  mitten  or  glove  to  re- 
establish the  circulation,  even  though  the  operation  hurts. 
If  the  tips  of  the  ears  get  white,  they  are  frozen  and  should 
be  vigorously  rubbed. 

If  the  feet  are  cold  or  frozen,  rub  them  with  snow,  then 
with  very  cold  water.  Do  not  go  near  the  stove  or  use  warm 
water.  Wrap  them  up  carefully  and  chafe  occasionally 
with  cold  water,  treating  them  with  great  care,  for  they 
are  easily  injured.  The  feet  once  frozen  are  sensitive  for  a 
long  time,  and  should  be  rubbed  every  night  with  cold  water 
and  salt  to  reestablish  the  normal  resistance  of  the  tissues. 


206  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

Chapped  hands.  —  Always  dry  the  hands  thoroughly 
after  they  have  been  washed.  If  they  are  rough,  rub 
them  with  camphor  ice  (a  mixture  of  vaseline,  camphor, 
and  lard)  before  going  to  bed. 

Bathing.  —  Never  neglect  the  cold  douching  of  the  chest 
and  neck  in  cold  weather.  The  time  you  feel  least  like  doing 
it  is  the  time  it  is  most  needed.  There  are  many  persons 
with  whom  a  cold  bath  once  a  day  does  not  agree;  these 
should  bathe  only  part  of  the  body  at  a  time,  or  use  tepid 
water.  There  are  many  more  who  would  be  much  benefited 
by  taking  the  tonic  bath,  but  who  do  not  do  so  merely 
because  of  physical  laziness. 

Colds.  —  The  common  cold  is  a  house  disease.  People 
who  live  an  active  out-of-door  life  seldom,  if  ever,  suffer 
from  colds.  They  are  dangerous,  even  the  least  of  them, 
for  they  are  symptoms  of  a  lowered  vitality,  and  sometimes 
so  affect  the  health  as  to  lead  to  consumption. 

Causes. — The  most  frequent  cause  is  constipation,  for 
the  waste  food,  which  should  be  passed  away  daily,  remains 
in  the  intestine  to  decay,  and  the  body  absorbs  poison  from 
it.  This  reduces  the  vitality  so  that  infection  by  microbes, 
which  are  always  present,  is  made  easy.  Regular  morning 
exercise  (Chapter  II),  drinking  enough  water,  and  eating 
green  vegetables  will  prevent  constipation,  headaches,  and 
most  colds. 

Fatigue  and  lack  of  sleep  will  lower  vitality,  so  that  the 
slightest  exposure  will  cause  colds.  These  result  more 
often  from  staying  up  late  nights  than  from  working  too 
hard.  Changes  of  temperature  rather  than  cold  weather 
in  itself  will  cause  colds,  and  then  only  when  the  body  is 
not  trained  to  adjust  itself  to  such  changes. 


SEASONAL  HYGIENE  207 

Preventive  measures.  —  The  surest  way  to  prevent 
colds  is  to  train  the  skin  and  circulation  to  adjust  them- 
selves to  protect  you  from  such  changes.  A  traveler  in 
the  West  once  remarked  to  an  Indian  who  strolled  about  in 
zero  weather,  protected  only  by  his  blanket,  "  I  should 
think  you  would  catch  cold."  The  Indian  replied,  "  Why 
you  not  cover  your  face?  Ugh  !  Me  all  face."  His  whole 
body  had  been  adjusted  to  cold,  just  as  is  the  skin  of  the 
face,  and  he  suffered  no  inconvenience. 

If  we  follow  the  directions  of  Chapter  II  and  take  a  cold 
douche  on  the  neck  and  chest,  we  shall  train  just  so  much 
of  the  body  to  resist  colds.  To  make  cold  bathing  more 
effective,  add  salt,  preferably  sea  salt,  which  may  be  put 
in  the  water  \  Ib.  to  four  gallons,  and  rub  the  body  with  a 
coarse  towel.  Train  yourself  up  to  cold  water  gradually, 
and  bathe,  rub,  and  dry  one  portion  of  the  body  at  a  time. 
This  should  be  repeated  at  night.  With  the  surface  of  the 
body  well  trained,  you  need  not  pile  on  clothes  to  keep 
warm.  Too  much  clothing,  such  as  furs  or  rubber  gar- 
ments, leads  often  to  overheating;  a  wrap  is  thrown  off, 
the  skin  is  cooled  too  suddenly,  and  a  chill  results. 

Wet  feet  cause  many  colds.  If  you  come  home  with 
cold  or  wet  feet,  bathe  them  first  in  tepid,  then  in  warm, 
then  in  cold  salt  water,  and  rub  them  very  hard.  Never 
neglect  wet  feet.  A  little  care  will  save  much  trouble. 

Most  colds  are  "  catching,"  so  avoid  the  person  with  one. 
Always  cover  the  face  with  a  handkerchief  when  you  cough 
or  sneeze. 

Cure  of  colds.  —  Never  neglect  a  cold.  In  the  sneezing 
stage  use  douches  of  salt  water  in  the  nose  and  throat  every 
three  hours.  Take  a  hot  mustard  footbath,  a  glass  of  hot 


208  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

lemonade,  and  open  the  bowels  with  a  mild  cathartic. 
Stop  work  and  rest  flat  in  bed  if  you  can,  to  allow  the  body 
to  get  in  fighting  trim.  Quinine  is  useful  in  small  doses, 
three  grains  every  five  hours  as  a  tonic;  spirits  of  cam- 
phor, two  drops  on  a  lump  of  sugar  three  times  a  day,  may 
help  a  little. 

Very  often  a  physician  may  relieve  a  cold  for  you  by 
sprays  of  oils  and  antiseptics,  and  you  should  go  to  him,  if 
possible.  If  there  is  a  fever  of  over  100°,  stay  indoors  until 
it  subsides.  Many  believe  in  a  few  drops  of  kerosene  oil,  or 
a  teaspoonful  of  vaseline  taken  internally  and  rubbed  on 
the  face,  neck,  and  chest. 

Nevertheless,  colds  will  often  take  hold,  and  then  nature 
effects  its  own  cure.  The  treatment  consists  of  as  much 
rest  as  possible,  keeping  the  bowels  open,  nasal  douches  of 
warm  salt  water,  £  teaspoonful  to  the  glass,  and  three  grains 
of  quinine  three  times  a  day.  Patent  medicines  and  cough 
sirups  are  usually  bad,  for  they  decrease  vitality  and  cause 
constipation.  No  change  should  be  made  in  the  diet,  save 
the  cutting  off  of  coffee,  tea,  and  red  meats.  Too  much 
water  is  usually  drunk  on  account  of  the  dryness  of  the 
throat,  but  this  only  increases  the  discomfort.  A  rise  in 
temperature  over  100°,  sharp  pain  in  the  chest,  a  constant 
cough,  or  one  that  refuses  to  clear  up  in  two  weeks,  and  any 
earache  whatsoever  mean  that  you  should  have  medical 
advice  without  fail. 

As  a  rule  too  much  medicine  is  taken  for  the  cold,  and  the 
body  has  more  to  recover  from  than  it  should.  Our  friends' 
advice  is  not  so  good  as  the  doctor's. 

Hot  weather.  —  In  hot  weather  the  body  has  difficulty 
in  ridding  itself  of  its  heat,  and  discomfort  results.  Heat 


SEASONAL  HYGIENE  209 

is  passed  from  the  body  mainly  in  the  outgoing  breath,  but 
also  from  the  surface  of  the  skin.  The  loss  of  heat  from  the 
skin  is  quickened  by  the  evaporation  of  the  perspiration 
which  is  much  increased  in  warm  weather.  In  hot  countries 
water  is  cooled  by  placing  it  in  unglazed  earthenware  jars 
which  allow  it  to  pass  slowly  through  the  pores  and  evap- 
orate on  the  surface;  our  bodies  cool  themselves  in  just 
the  same  way. 

This  principle  should  guide  much  of  our  habit  of  life  in 
hot  weather.  The  man  who  is  quietly  active  on  a  very 
hot  day  and  moves  about  at  his  work  is  cooler  than  one  who 
sits  still  and  thinks  how  hot  it  is.  A  current  of  air  will 
increase  the  rate  of  evaporation  and  make  us  cooler.  Great 
care  should  be  taken  not  to  sit  directly  in  the  draft  of  an 
electric  fan,  for  a  stiff  rheumatic  back  or  a  summer  cold  will 
result.  One  should  always  keep  out  of  the  sun  and  never 
hurry.  Rest  is  more  essential,  though  sleep  is  often  diffi- 
cult to  obtain.  Some  people  are  made  more  comfortable 
by  a  cool  or  tepid  bath  a  half  hour  before  retiring.  A  very 
quick  hot  bath  will  bring  the  blood  to  the  surface  and  will 
often  result  in  cooling  the  body  effectively. 

No  one  should  sleep  without  bed  clothing.  Extra  cover- 
ings should  be  ready  to  be  pulled  up  when  the  cooler  morning 
hours  come.  Much  comfort  may  be  obtained  by  making 
a  tent  of  the  sheet,  open  at  the  foot  and  head ;  this  seems 
to  provide  a  circulation  of  air,  even  when  little  is  stirring. 

Food.  — Less  food  is  needed  in  hot  weather  than  in  winter. 
The  fats  and  carbohydrates  (Chapter  V),  which  are  mainly 
useful  for  the  production  of  heat  and  energy,  should  be 
decreased,  and  fruits  and  green  vegetables  should  form 
the  bulk  of  the  diet.  So  much  water  is  lost  through  the 


210  HYGIENE   FOR  THE  WORKER 

skin  that  much  more  must  be  drunk.  One  should  never 
drink  cold  water  quickly,  for  in  many  cases  this  has  resulted 
seriously.  Too  much  water  injures  the  stomach  and  chills 
the  organs  of  the  body,  resulting  in  a  condition  which 
gives  rise  again  to  thirst.  If  one  glass  of  water,  drunk 
slowly,  leaves  one  thirsty,  it  is  probable  that  another 
taken  immediately  will  cause  harm. 

Summer  drinks  are  usually  not  harmful,  although  most  of 
the  cheap  ginger  ale,  sarsaparilla,  and  such  beverages  contain 
too  much  sugar,  and  in  addition  are  adulterated  and  positively 
harmful.  Lemonade  or  plain  carbonated  waters  are  the  best. 
Alcoholic  drinks  of  any  kind  are  invariably  harmful,  for  they 
decrease  vitality  and  weaken  the  body  materially. 

Food  spoils  quickly  in  hot  weather,  and  we  can  afford  to 
be  more  particular  in  our  choice  for  we  eat  very  much  less. 
"  Made  over "  dishes  should  be  viewed  with  suspicion. 
Any  fruit  that  has  been  handled  by  another  person  should 
be  washed  with  care  or  cooked. 

Nothing  that  flies  have  reached  should  be  considered 
good  food,  for  flies  carry  the  germs  of  diarrhea,  colitis,  dys- 
entery, and  typhoid.  If  this  rule  were  followed,  these  dis- 
eases would  practically  disappear. 

Milk  should  always  be  fresh ;  if  it  tastes  the  least  sour,  it 
should  be  refused.  " Scientifically  soured"  milk  is  an  ex- 
cellent summer  food.  Milk  should  always  be  drunk  slowly, 
and  preferably  while  eating  something  solid. 

Clothing.  —  The  underclothes  should  be  of  mesh,  and  the 
overclo thing  light  in  weight  and  color.  Light  orange  or  khaki 
is  the  best  color  for  those  who  must  work  in  the  sun.  The 
best  hat,  next  to  the  well- ventilated  pith  helmet  of  the  tropics, 
is  one  that  is  oval  in  shape  and  raised  from  the  head  on  a 


SEASONAL  HYGIENE  211 

framework  to  allow  the  freest  circulation  of  air.  Most  straw 
hats  are  not  properly  ventilated  and  do  not  keep  all  the  sun 
out.  They  should  be  lined,  preferably  with  black  material 
and  the  air  given  free  access  to  the  head. 

Care  must  be  taken  that  the  body  does  not  become  chilled, 
and  two  places,  the  back  and  the  abdomen,  should  be  es- 
pecially protected.  In  India  it  is  the  common  practice  to 
wear  a  flannel  band  about  the  abdomen.  This  is  called 
the  cholera  belt,  as  it  is  useful  in  warding  off  that  disease. 
Although  cholera  is  caused  by  a  bacillus  which  attacks  only 
those  who  eat  or  drink  infected  food,  the  cholera  belt  pre- 
vents the  chilling  of  the  abdomen,  keeps  the  intestines  in 
good  tone,  and  thus  helps  them  to  resist  the  infection. 
Most  summer  diarrheas  may  be  avoided  with  similar 
care. 

Mosquitoes.  —  It  has  been  proved  that  some  mosquitoes 
carry  malaria  and  others,  yellow  fever.  The  latter  is 
rapidly  becoming  a  thing  of  the  past  on  account  of  the 
vigorous  action  taken  in  cities  where  it  has  existed  to  clean, 
fill,  or  cover  all  swamps  and  cisterns  where  the  fever-caus- 
ing mosquitoes  breed. 

Malaria  is  common  in  city. and  country,  although  about 
most  wide-awake  cities  swamps  have  been  drained.  It 
usually  brings  with  it  a  feeling  of  depression  and  a  fever 
preceded  by  a  chill  on  every  other  day,  although  the  fever 
may  be  continued  from  day  to  day  without  any  interval  or 
chill.  If  this  occurs  in  spring  or  summer,  one  should,  be- 
fore taking  medicine,  go  immediately  to  a  doctor  or  clinic 
and  ask  to  have  a  drop  of  blood  examined.  If  the  disease 
is  malaria,  the  germs  will  be  found  in  the  blood.  It  is  im- 
portant not  to  take  quinine  before  the  investigation  of  the 


212  HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 

blood,  for  it  will  kill  off  the  germs  in  the  blood  and  prevent 
a  successful  examination.  If  malaria  is  present,  it  should  be 
attacked,  not  by  one  dose  of  medicine,  but  with  a  thorough 
course  of  treatment  which  will  search  out  and  kill  all  the 
germs  in  whatever  corner  of  the  body  they  may  hide. 

FOR   SUMMER   AND   WINTER 

To  keep  well  in  winter: 

1.  Keep  up  the  good  daily  hygienic  habits. 

2.  Eat  more  fat  and  carbohydrate  food  and  chew  it  well. 

3.  Too  much  clothing  is  as  bad  as  too  little.     Good  vital- 

ity, based  on  good  digestion,   is  better  protection 
than  a  fur  coat. 

4.  Take  care  of  chapped  hands  and  wet  feet. 
To  avoid  colds: 

1.  Keep  the  digestion  in  order  and  avoid  constipation. 

2.  Train  the  body  to  resist  cold  by  the  morning  and  eve- 

ning cold  douche. 

3.  Do  not  waste  your  vitality. 
To  keep  well  in  summer: 

1.  Keep  busy,  do  not  fret  about  the  heat,  and  rest  when 

you  can. 

2.  Keep  out  of  the  sun  and  avoid  the  direct  draft  of  the 

electric  fan. 

3.  Dress  lightly,  but  protect  the  back  and  abdomen.     Be 

careful  to  drink  only  clean  water,  not  too  cold  and 
not  too  much  at  once. 

4.  Alcoholic  drinks  are  to  be  avoided. 

5.  Do  not  eat  too  much;  vegetables  and  fruits  are  the  best. 

6.  Do  not  eat  anything  that  has  been  exposed  to  dust  or 

flies. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

TUBERCULOSIS l 

Why  you  should  be  interested.  —  There  are  many  reasons 
why  you  should  be  interested  in  the  subject  of  tuberculosis. 
You  or  some  of  your  family  or  friends  may  develop  the 
disease.  By  knowing  something  about  it  you  can  greatly 
lessen  the  chance  of  getting  it;  if  you  do  get  it,  you  will 
know  what  to  do  in  order  to  get  well,  and  to  keep  others 
from  getting  it  from  you. 

What  tuberculosis  is.  —  Pulmonary  tuberculosis  is  a 
very  common,  and  frequently  a  fatal,  disease  of  the  lungs. 
It  is  caused  by  the  growth  and  multiplication  in  the  lungs 
of  a  very  small  germ,  called  the  tubercle  bacillus,  which  is  so 
small  it  cannot  be  seen  without  the  use  of  a  very  powerful 
microscope,  which  magnifies  it  several  hundred  times. 
Twenty-five  hundred  of  these  germs  placed  end  to  end 
would  not  be  one  inch  in  length. 

These  germs  may  gradually  spread  through  the  greater 
part  of  one  or  both  lungs,  destroying  the  usefulness  of 
those  organs,  until  finally  the  patient  dies  of  the  disease. 

The  disease  is  often  called  consumption,  for  the  reason 

1  This  chapter,  published  by  permission,  is  taken  mainly  from  a  booklet 
prepared  by  the  Department  of  Health  of  the  city  of  New  York  and  the 
Committee  on  Prevention  of  Tuberculosis  of  the  Charity  Organization 
Society  in  consultation  with  the  Department  of  Education. 

213 


214 


HYGIENE  FOR  THE  WORKER 


that  during  its  progress  the  patient  loses  weight  rapidly, 
and  hence  seems  to  be  consumed. 

Tuberculosis  may  infect  any  other  part  of  the  body 
besides  the  lungs,  such   as  the  bones,  joints,  intestines, 


Out-of-door  treatment  for  consumptives 

glands,  brain,  spinal  cord,  and  the  skin,  but  of  all  forms 
of  inflammation,  that  of  the  lungs  is  the  most  common. 

The  tubercle  bacillus  is  the  only  cause  of  the  disease. 
Many  people  think  that  pulmonary  tuberculosis  comes 
from  a  cold  or  some  other  disease,  or  is  inherited.  This  is 
not  correct.  The  reason  why  people  develop  tuberculosis 
after  a  prolonged  cold  or  pneumonia  or  other  exhausting 
disease  is  because  their  systems  have  run  down  to  such  an 
extent  that  they  are  not  strong  enough  to  resist  the  tubercle 
bacilli  taken  into  their  bodies. 

The  germs  are  widely  distributed,   and  practically  all 


TUBERCULOSIS 


215 


people  breathe  them  in  at  times.     If  their  systems  are  in 
excellent  condition,  the  germs  do  not  gain  a  foothold  and 


NORFOLK      ST. 
ST. 


WILLETT   8T. 

mn 

SHERIFF     ST. 


Map  showing  the  extent  of  tuberculosis.    Each  dot  means  one  case  for 
that  house 


2i6  HYGIENE  FOR  THE   WORKER 

start  the  disease.     Any  condition  that  weakens  the  body 
predisposes  one  to  consumption. 

Extent  of  the  disease.  —  Tuberculosis  kills  more  people 
than  any  other  disease.  Every  three  minutes  some  one 
in  the  United  States  dies  from  consumption.  Every  year 
more  persons  die  in  the  United  States  from  consumption 
than  died  in  this  country  from  yellow  fever  in  a  period  of 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  years.  Three  or  four  times  as 
many  people  die  every  year  in  the  United  States  from 
this  disease  as  were  killed  in  both  armies  during  the 
Civil  War.  Every  seventh  person  who  dies,  dies  from 
tuberculosis. 

Symptoms.  —  There  are  a  number  of  symptoms  which 
might  lead  a  person  to  suspect  that  he  has  pulmonary 
tuberculosis ;  namely,  loss  of  weight,  loss  of  appetite,  loss 
of  color,  fever  in  the  afternoon,  cough  and  expectoration 
(spitting)  lasting  for  several  weeks,  spitting  of  blood  or 
streaks  of  blood  in  the  sputum,  chills,  night  sweats,  dif- 
ficulty in  breathing,  and  pains  in  the 
chest.  In  incipient  tuberculosis  the 
commonest  symptoms  are  loss  of  weight 
with  cough  and  expectoration. 

When  these  symptoms  occur,  it  does 
not  necessarily  mean  that  tuberculosis 
exists,  but  it  would  be  wise  for  a  person 
having  them  to  consult  a  physician. 

How  we  get  tuberculosis.  —  We  can 
The  fiy  helps  to  spread    ge|-  tuberculosis  only  by  receiving  into 

tuberculosis  . 

the  body  the  tubercle  bacilli.  One  con- 
sumptive infects  another,  or  gives  tuberculosis  of  the  lungs 
to  another,  by  means  of  the  tubercle  bacilli  in  the  material 


TUBERCULOSIS 


217 


On  the  roof  in  winter 


coughed  up  from  the 
diseased  lungs,  which 
often  contains  mil- 
lions of  these  germs. 
The  germs  get  out 
of  the  body  of  a  person 
who  has  tuberculosis, 
not  only  in  the  mate- 
rial which  is  coughed 
up,  but  also  in  the 
little  drops,  too  small 
to  be  seen,  which  are 
sprayed  out  when  persons  with  tuberculosis  cough  or  sneeze. 
Great  care  should  be  taken  to  destroy  all  material  coughed 
up  by  the  consumptive,  and  to  avoid  careless  coughing  and 
sneezing.  If  this  is  not  done,  and  if  the  sputum  is  dis- 
charged on  the  floor  or  carpets  or 
clothing,  the  germs  may  live  for 
months,  especially  in  dark,  damp, 
unventilated  bedrooms,  living 
rooms,  and  workrooms. 

The  germs  live  in  the  darkness  and 
dampness  for  a  long  time  and  are 
stirred  up  in  dusting  and  sweeping 
these  rooms ;   they  float  in  the  air 
and  maybe  breathed  into  the  lungs, 
or  may  fall  upon  articles  of  food  and 
be  taken  into  the  body  in  that  way. 
It  is  not  safe  to  move  into  a  house  or  rooms  in  which  a 
patient  with  tuberculosis  has  lived  until  the  house  or  rooms 
have  been  thoroughlycleansed  and  disinfected  or  renovated. 


Scrubbing  walls  to  get  rid  of 
germs 


218 


HYGIENE   FOR  THE   WORKER 


The  people  most  likely  to  get  tuberculosis  are  those  who 
are  run  down  or  ill  from  poor  or  insufficient  food,  from  living 
in  dark,  overcrowded,  or  ill-ventilated  rooms,  or  from  over- 
work, and  those  who  are  convalescent  from  other  exhausting 
diseases.  Their  weakened  systems  cannot  resist  the  disease. 

Working    or    living    in 
MI  I  -     i  \y  I /:  dusty  rooms  may  lead 

•H  >ic3i  to  the  disease'  espe~ 

1  -a.     IJuLJll  daily  where  the  air  is 

^  EE=I  bad  from    poor  venti- 

lation  or  overcrowding. 


How  to  prevent  tu- 
berculosis. —  In  order 
to  keep  from  getting  tu- 
berculosis, the  first  and 
most  important  rule  is 
to  keep  as  strong  and 
healthy  as  possible. 

When    the    tubercle 

bacilli  get  into  the  body  or  lungs  of  a  healthy  person,  they 
do  not  multiply  but  are  usually  soon  killed,  while  in  the 
lungs  of  a  weak  or  sickly  person  they  increase  in  number 
and  produce  tuberculosis. 

Of  great  assistance  in  keeping  well  and  strong  are  quanti- 
ties of  fresh,  pure  air  both  in  the  daytime  and  at  night,  in 


Dr.  Knopf's  window-tent  in  position,  and 
raised  when  not  in  use 


TUBERCULOSIS 


219 


the  home,  in  the  schoolroom,  and  in  the  workroom,  to- 
gether with  proper  food,  cleanliness,  and  temperance. 

One  can  get  fresh,  pure  air  by  keeping  out  of  doors  as 
much  as  possible,  by  keeping  the  living  rooms  during  the 
daytime  well-ventilated,  and  by  keeping  the  windows  of 
the  bedrooms  wide  open  all  night. 

Dust  may  be  avoided  largely  by  the  use  of  damp  cloths 
and  brooms  (never  use  a  dry  broom  or  duster). 

Children  should  be  taught  not  to  put  anything  into  their 
mouths  except  food.  Putting  pencils,  coins,  or  playthings 
in  the  mouth,  and  eating 
candy  or  chewing  gum 
which  other  children  have 
had  in  their  mouths  are 
dangerous  habits,  and 
should  be  avoided. 

Overindulgence    in 
whisky  or  other  forms  of 


alcohol  predisposes  one  to 
tuberculosis,  and  the  use 
of  intoxicants  of  any  kind 
in  tuberculosis  is  distinctly 
injurious.  Alcohol  weak- 
ens the  body  so  that  it 
cannot  resist  the  disease 
germs. 

Every  person  should  take  a  warm  bath  with  soap  at  least 
once  each  week,  and  if  possible,  should  have  a  cold  bath 
every  morning. 

Medicines.  —  There  is  no  medicine  that  will  cure  con- 
sumption. It  is  a  waste  of  time  and  money  to  use  so-called 


Use  moist  cloths  for  dusting 


220 


HYGIENE   FOR   THE   WORKER 


"  Consumption  Cures."     All  advertised  cures  of  this  nature 
are  frauds.     Doctors  who  advertise  should  be  avoided  as 


The  best  cures  are  rest,  plenty  of  fresh  out-of-door  air,  and  wholesome  food 


much  as  medicines  which  are  advertised.  Reputable 
doctors  do  not  advertise.  The  consumptive  always  feels 
stronger  than  he  really  is  and  often  neglects  treatment 
until  it  is  too  late.  When  a  person  learns  that  he  has 
tuberculosis,  he  should  go  at  once  to  a  physician  or  a  dis- 
pensary, and  do  as  he  is  advised.  He  should  not  waste 
time  and  money  on  patent  medicines. 

Treatment.  —  The  treatment  for  tuberculosis  is  rest, 
with  plenty  of  fresh  air  and  enough  good,  wholesome  food. 

No  medicine  is  necessary  except  in  cases  where  other 
diseases  are  present.  Tuberculous  patients  should  eat 
three  good  meals  each  day,  and  irt  addition  take  milk  in 
the  mid-morning  and  mid-afternoon.  They  should  get  all 
the  rest  and  sleep  possible,  and  should  avoid  overwork  and 
too  much  exercise. 

If  treatment  is  begun  early,  tuberculosis  can  be  cured  by 
good  food,  fresh  air,  and  rest.  The  best  results  are  obtained 
in  hospitals  or  sanitoria  which  are  located  in  the  country. 


TUBERCULOSIS 


221 


It  is  not  dangerous  to  live  or  work  with  a  person  who  has 
tuberculosis  if  he  is  cleanly,  and  is  very  careful  to  destroy 


The  careful  consumptive  washes  her  hands  before  and  after  eating;  coughs,  spits, 
and  sneezes  into  paper  or  cloth  and  burns  it  at  once ;  and  always  uses  the 
same  dishes,  which  are  washed  separately 

all  the  sputum  which  he  coughs  up.  A  person  with  tuber- 
culosis should  not  sleep  in  the  same  bed  with  any  one  else, 
and  if  possible,  not  even  in  the  same  room. 


HOW   YOU   CAN   HELP 

By  instructing  others  as  to  the  nature,  prevention,  and 
cure  of  tuberculosis. 

By  teaching  others  how  to  breathe  deeply  and  to  ob- 
serve the  simple  rules  of  health. 

By  keeping  the  home  clean  and  well  ventilated,  and  by 
sleeping  with  the  windows  open. 

By  keeping  clean;  by  putting  nothing  into  the  mouth 
except  food,  and  by  eating  only  wholesome  and 
nourishing  food. 

By  staying  as  much  as  possible  in  the  fresh  air  and 
sunshine. 


A     SUMMARY    OF     THE     COMPULSORY     EDUCATION     LAWS    OF 
NEW    YORK    STATE 

1.  Every  child  between  seven  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  in  proper 
physical  and  mental  condition  to  attend  school,  shall  regularly  attend 
upon   instruction,   during   the    compulsory   school   year,  or   receive 
equivalent  instruction  by  a  competent  instructor  elsewhere. 

2.  Children  between   fourteen  and   sixteen  years  of   age  who  have 
employment  certificates  issued  by  the  Board  of  Health  and  are  regu- 
larly employed  thereunder  are  exempt  from  school  attendance,  except 
that  boys  between  fourteen  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  legally  employed, 
who  have  not  been  graduated  from  the  elementary  course  must  attend 
evening  school  until  sixteen  years  of  age.    Evening  school  attend- 
ance cannot  be  substituted  for  required  attendance  at  a  day  school. 

3.  It  is  unlawful    for  any  person,    firm,  or  corporation    to  employ 
any  child  under  sixteen  years  of  age  who  does  not  legally  possess  an 
employment  certificate. 

4.  A  certificate  of  school  attendance  or  of  graduation,  without  an 
employment  certificate,  gives  a  child  no  right  to  leave  school. 

5.  To  obtain  an  employment  certificate  under  Sec.  71  of  the  Labor 
Law,  a  child  must  have  the  following  qualifications :  — 

First:   He  must  be  at  least  fourteen  years  of  age. 

Second:  He  must  have  attended  school  130  days  within  the  year 
preceding  his  fourteenth  birthday,  or  within  the  year  preceding  his 
application  for  the  certificate. 

Third:  He  must  be  able  to  read  and  write  simple  sentences  in  Eng- 
lish, and  be  familiar  with  the  operations  of  arithmetic  "  up  to  and  in- 
cluding fractions." 

Fourth:  The  date  of  the  child's  birth  must  be  proved  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  Board  of  Health,  by  the  production  of  documentary 
evidence  in  the  following  order: —  . 

(a)  A  transcript  of  a  birth  certificate  filed  in  the  office  of  a  regis- 
trar of  vital  statistics. 

223 


224  APPENDIX 

(b)  A  certificate  of  graduation  from  an  eight  years'  course  in  an 
elementary  school,  provided  that  the  records  of  such  school  show  the 
child's  age  to  be  fourteen  years. 

(c)  A  passport  or  baptismal  certificate. 

(rf)  Other  documentary  evidence  of  age,  satisfactory  to  the 
Board  of  Health.  (Ttte  unsupported  affidavits  of  parents  or  guardians 
are  not  accepted  under  this  subdivision.} 

(e)  Physicians'  certificates  of  probable  age.  In  case  other  evi- 
dence cannot  be  produced,  a  parent  or  guardian  may  apply  to  the 
Board  of  Health  for  the  certificate  of  two  physicians  as  to  the  child's 
age.  Ninety  days  must  elapse  after  application  before  such  certificate 
can  be  granted. 

6.  To  obtain  a  school  record  certificate  a  child  must  (i)  have  com- 
pleted the  studies  of  the  5  A  grade,  or  its  equivalent;  (2)  be  examined 
as  to  his  educational  qualifications.  This  examination  need  not  be 
required  of  pupils  above  the  6  B  grade. 

First :  an  examination  of  all  applicants  for  a  school  record  cer- 
tificate shall  be  held  in  each  district  every  second  week,  at  a  time 
and  in  a  certain  school  building  to  be  designated  by  the  district  super- 
intendent. 

Second :  Any  boy  or  girl,  between  fourteen  and  sixteen  years  of  age, 
who  has  completed  the  studies  of  the  first  half  of  the  Fifth  School 
Year  (New  York  City  Schools)  or  its  equivalent,  shall  be  eligible  to 
take  this  examination. 

Third:  The  scope  of  the  examination  should  be  essentially  as 
follows :  — 

(a)  The  writing  of  a  bill  which  includes  some  simple  work  in  frac- 
tions, with  multiplication  and  addition  in  the  extensions. 

(b)  The  solving  of  three  or  four  simple  problems  in  business  arith- 
metic. 

(c)  A  simple  exercise  in  dictation. 

(d)  Oral  reading  by  each  applicant  from  a  fourth  reader. 

(e)  The  writing  of  an  application  for  a  position  or  some  other  form 
of  letter  writing. 

Fourth :  In  case  the  work  of  an  applicant  is  satisfactory,  the  princi- 
pal may  be  so  notified,  and  the  pupil  allowed  to  make  formal  applica- 
tion for  a  certificate.  Pupils  who  fail  should  be  compelled  to  return 


APPENDIX  225 

to  school,  and  work  faithfully  to  overcome  their  deficiencies.    They 
may  enter  the  next  examination. 

7 .  The  Department  of  Health  requests  that  a  principal  before  issu- 
ing the  certificate  of  school  attendance  shall  have  the  applicant  exam- 
ined physically  by  the  Department's  physician  assigned  to  the  school, 
and  that  the  applicant  shall  present  the  physician's  certificate  along 
with  the  certificate  of  school  attendance  when  he  appears  for  examina- 
tion at  the  office  of  the  Department  of  Health. 

8.  A  boy  between  fourteen  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  legally  em- 
ployed, who  has  not  graduated  from  the  elementary  course,  must  at- 
tend an  evening  school  or  a  trade  school  until  he  is  sixteen  years  old. 

9.  Children  of  school  age  who  do  not  possess  employment  certifi- 
cates cannot  be  employed  in  stores,  or  other  places,  on  Saturday,  or  in 
domestic  service  at  any  time. 


INDEX 


Accidents,  29,  32,  80,  138-151; 

and  assaults,   relation  of  alcohol  to, 

57,58; 

causes  of,  80,  142-151  ; 
fear  of,  137 ; 

most  important  cause  of,  144 ; 
reduction  of,  137,  138 ; 
responsibility  for,  143 ; 
use  of  safety  devices  against,   140- 

151- 

Acids,  163. 
Adenoids,  22. 
Air,  and  sleep,  26-28; 

dirty,  breathing  of,  75 ; 

impure,  effects  of,  74 ; 

space  for  workers,  73,  198. 
Alcohol,  98,  109,  205,  212,  219; 

and  accidents,  etc.,  57,  58; 

and  disease,  55 ; 

as  a  harmful  agent,  53,  54 ; 

craving  for,  54,  61 ; 

dangers  of,  54-58 ; 

moderate  use  of,  57  ; 

points  to  be  remembered  in  connec- 
tion with,  61,  62; 

tables  showing  effects  of,  on  health 

and  longevity,  55~57- 
Ammonia,  163. 
Anthrax,  164,  200. 
Applicant,  manner  and  appearance  of, 

2-4. 

Arsenic,  158,  159. 

Arsenical  poisoning,  prevention  of,  159. 
Asphyxiation  by  gas,  185,  186. 
Athletic  fields,  121,  122. 
Athletics,  109. 
Avoid  accidents,  summary,  151,  152. 

Bathing,  12,  13,  206,  209,  219. 
Bedclothes,  26,  27. 
Beer,  66,  72. 


"Be  on  time,"  16,  17. 

Bleeding,  187,  188. 

Body,  an  engine,  39,  40,  53,  90. 

Bowels,  25,  208. 

Boy  Scouts,  122. 

Brass,  162. 

Breakfast,  14,  15. 

Breathing,  23,  24. 

Broken  limbs,  188. 

Bunions,  35,  37. 

Burns,  186,  187. 

Carbohydrates,  43,  44. 

Care,  necessity  of,  151 

Catarrh,  nasal,  22. 

Celluloid  collars,  dangers  of,  33. 

Cereals,  48. 

Certificate,      employment,      190,      191, 

222. 

Chapped  hands,  206. 
Cheerfulness,  7,  98,  99. 
Chewing  gum,  6. 
Chewing  of  food,  40-51,  64. 
Choosing  an  occupation,  127,  135. 
Cigarettes,  6,  33,  59,  60,  67,  170; 

general  effects  of,  on  body  and  mind, 
59-6i; 

injurious    effects    of,    on    lungs    and 

throat,  59. 

Cigarette    smoking,    and    the    business 
world,  60,  6 1 ; 

dangers  of,  50-61 ; 

in  schools,  60. 
Cleanliness,  3,  5,  6. 
Clothes,  care  of,  14 ; 

dangerous  to  workers,  29-32 ; 

for  machinists,  30-33 ; 

for  the  worker,  summary,  38 ; 

for  women  workers,  20-32  ; 

suitable    and    unsuitable    for    work, 


22? 


228 


INDEX 


Clothing,  4,  5,  205,  210,  211 ; 

relation  of,  to  breathing,  23 ; 

suitability  of,  14. 
Clubhouse,  employees',  70,  71. 
Coffee,  15,  46,  63,  65,  72,  208. 
Colds,  206-208; 

causes  of,  206 ; 

cure  of,  80,  207,  208; 

prevention  of,  207 ; 

wet  feet  and,  207. 
Commercial  occupations,  131. 
Compulsory  Education  Laws,  223-225. 
Constant  standing,  evil  effects  of,  95. 
Constipation,  25,  45,  63,  80,  208; 

exercises  for,  12. 
Consumption,  see  Tuberculosis. 
Cooking,  47,  48,  52. 
Cooperation,     in     avoiding     accidents, 

methods  of,  138,  139. 
Cooperative  outings,  122-125. 
Corns,  35,  37. 
Corsets,  38. 

Coughing   and   sneezing   into   handker- 
chief, 85,  207. 
Crowding,  103. 
Cuts  and  wounds,  187,  188. 

Daily  inspection  of  self,  4. 

Dancing,  108,  109. 

Dandruff,  19. 

Danger,  protection  against,  130-142. 

Day,  close  of,  102,  103. 

Day's  work,  after,  summary,  114. 

Deep  breathing,  23 ; 

exercises  for,  24. 
Diet,  39; 

mixed,  44,  45. 
Digestion,  aids  to,  70. 
Disease  and  alcohol,  55. 
Disobedience  and   ignorance,    causes   of 

accidents,  149-151. 
Disorder,  cause  of  accidents,  151. 
Domestic  science,  49. 
Doors,  factory,  201. 
Dress,  neatness  in,  3 ; 

simplicity  in,  4,  5. 
Dressing,  14. 
Drinking  cup,  82 ; 

common,  82 ; 

paper,  81,  82. 


7 


Drinking  fountain,  82. 

Drinking  water,  pure,  46,  80-82,  88,  199, 

208,  210. 
Drowning,  188. 
Dusts,  77,  128,  129. 
Dyes,  162. 

Eczema,  134. 

Electricity,  149. 

Electric  shock,  184,  185. 

Elevators,  cause  of  accidents,  147,  148. 

Emergency  work,  181-189. 

Employer's  inspection,  2-4. 

Employment  certificate,  190,  191. 

Energy,  39,  53,  89,  98. 

Enlarged  joints,  37. 

Evening  routine,  28. 

Excursions,  109. 

Exercises,  10-12,  24,  28^/35,  36,  37, 

132.  y 

Exhaustion,  99. 
Eyes,  20,  21,  133,  134; 

examination  of,  important,  134. 
Eyesight,   defective,  occupations  to  be 

avoided  in  cases  of,  iaj. 
Eyestrain,  20,  79,  97.       \/ 

Fainting,  183. 

Falling  tools,  cause  of  accidents,  148. 

Fan,  revolving,  76. 

Fatigue,  accidents  during,  78 ; 

causes  of,  91,  92 ;  

point,  92,  93,  98;  ^\ 

points  to  be  remembered  in  connec-    I 
tion  with,  99-101.  ^ / 

Fats,  43,  44. 
Feet,  25,  34-37- 
Finger  nails,  3,  14,  24. 
Fire,  appliances  for  fighting,  172,  173; 

benefits  of,  167 ; 

brigades,  173,  174; 

causes  of,  167,  169,  170; 

drills,  173,  174; 

loss  from,  168,  169; 

rules  to  be  observed  in  case  of,  175, 

176. 
Fires,  individual  efforts  against,  174,  175  ; 

means  of  escape  from,  150,  151 ; 

measures  of  prevention  against,  170, 
171. 


INDEX 


229 


Flat-foot,  3S-37,  95- 
Fletcherism,  50,  51. 
Flies,  210,  216. 
Food,  204,  205,  209,  210; 

and  drinks  summarized,  51,  52; 

as  fuel  for  the  body,  40,  41 ; 

buying  of,  48,  49 ; 

chewing  of,  49-51,  64; 

choice  of,  41,  42  ; 

cooking  of,  47,  48 ; 

cost  of,  41,  42,  51 ; 

kinds  of,  40-47 ; 

quantity  of,  15,  40,  41. 
Foods,  classification  of,  42 ; 

uses  of,  40,  41 ; 

wholesome,  47. 
Foot  weakness,  132,  133. 
Freezing,  see  Frost  bites  and  Freezing. 
Fresh  air,  9,  10,  66,  218,  219,  220. 
Frost  bites  and  freezing,  187,  205. 
Fruits,  washing  of,  65. 

Gas,  128,  164. 

Good  habits,  18,  98. 

Good  health,  importance  of,  6,  7. 

Gymnastics,  109. 

Habits  of  living,  systematic,  9. 

Hair,  4,  14,  18-20. 

Half  holidays,  119,  120. 

Handkerchiefs,  8,  84,  85. 

Hands,  24. 

Hats,  38. 

Health,  90. 

Heart,  effects  of  tobacco  on,  59 ; 

weakness,  130,  131. 
Heat,  164,  165; 

exhaustion,  184. 
Heating,  77. 
Hobby,  106. 

Holidays,  suggestions  for,  125,  126. 
Hospital  rooms  in  factories,  177-179. 
Hot  weather,  208,  209. 
Humidity,  77,  78. 
Hygrodeik,  78. 

Insomnia,  96,  100,  101. 

"Keep  square  with  yourself,"  17. 


Laws  protecting  worker,  190; 

recent  safety,  201,  202. 
Lead, 153-156; 

in  manufactures,  155,  156; 

in  paints,  155. 
Lead  poisoning,  154-156; 

fighting,  156-158; 

symptoms  of,  154. 
Lectures,  112,  113. 
Libraries,  113,  114. 
Lighting,  78-80; 

poor,  cause  of  accidents,  80. 
Lights,  artificial,  79,  80; 

for  reading,  20. 
Linen,  33. 
Lockers,  85,  86. 

Longevity,  effects  of  alcohol  on,  55-57. 
Lunch,  and  rest  rooms,  71 ; 

box,  65,  66; 

hour,  68,  69,  97,  199 ; 

kind  of,  64-66 ; 

manner  of  eating,  64 ; 

place  for,  63-65  ; 

preparation  for,  63 ; 

room,  64,  65,  68,  71. 

Lungs,   influence  of  occupations  upon, 
127-130; 

injurious    effects    of    cigarettes    on, 
59. 

Machinery,  electrical,  149. 

Machinist,  clothes  suitable  for,  32,  33. 

Malaria,  211,  212. 

Manner  of  applicant,  2-4. 

Maps,  120. 

Matches,  159,  160. 

Meal,  evening,  104,  105. 

Meat,  42,  43,  47,  51. 

Mercury,  160,  161 ; 

precautions  in  working  with,  161. 
Metallic  waste  can,  84. 
Metchnikoff,  Prof.,  55. 
Milk,  15,  45,  46,  52,  65,  66,  210,  220; 

pasteurized,  46. 

Minors,  provisions  for,  191-193. 
Morning,  inspection,  7,  8; 

routine,  17. 
Mosquitoes,  211,  212. 
Mouth,  21,  22 ; 

breathing,  22. 


230 


INDEX 


Moving  pictures,  107-109. 
Museums,  113. 
Music,  106. 

Naphtha,  163. 

Nerves,  effects  of  tobacco  on,  59. 
Nerve  weakness,  92,  93. 
Neurasthenia,  see  Nerve  weakness. 
New  York  City,  Department  of  Health, 

47,  213; 
places  of  interest  in  and  around,  120, 

121. 

Night  schools,  112. 
Night  work,  96,  97. 
Nitrogen,  42. 
Noon,  rest  during,  69,  70. 
Noon-day  meal,  State  laws  in  regard  to, 

67,  68. 

Noon  hour  routine,  71. 
Nose,  13,  22. 
Nurse,  visiting,  179-181. 

Occupation,  choosing  an,  summary,  135 ; 

wise  start  in,  127. 

Occupations,   affecting  the  lungs,   127- 
130; 

beneficial  to  lung  affections,  129,  130; 

commercial,  131  ; 

sedentary,  94,  131,  132. 
Oiling  machinery  in  motion,  146. 
Outings,  cooperative,  122-125. 
Overcrowding,  145,  146. 
Overfatigue,  harm  of,  95,  96. 
Overspeeding  machinery,  145. 
Overstraining  the  human  machine,   95, 

96. 

Overwork,  oo,  95-97. 
Oxygen  in  air,  uses  of,  75. 

Paper,  drinking  cup,  81 ; 

towels,  83. 

Paris  green,  158,  159. 
Pasteurized  milk,  46. 
Patent  medicines,  220. 
Perfumes,  5,  6. 
Personal  habits,  98.  99. 
Petroleum,  163,  164. 
Phosphorus,  red,  159,  160. 
"  Phossy  jaw,"  160. 
Physical  examination,  127. 


Play,  benefits  of,  105,  114; 

importance  of,  1 16. 
Pneumonia,  55. 
Poisoning,  188,  189; 

industrial,  prevention  of,  165,  166. 
Poisons,  153. 
Porch  sleeping,  26. 
Posture,  24,  93-95.     . 
Power,  source  of,  53. 
Proper  working  conditions,  97,  98. 
Proteids,  42,  43. 
Pushcarts,  65,  71. 

Recreation,  103,  105-110,  114,  117; 

in  industrial  establishments,  110-112. 
Red  lead,  153,  155. 

Regulations,  as  to  length  of  working  day, 
195-197; 

for  women  and  minors,  191-195 ; 

legal,  199-201 ; 

sanitary,  198,  199; 

special,  197 ; 

special  legal,  201,  202. 
Respiratory    system,    effects  of   certain 

occupations  upon,  127-129. 
Rest  after  meals,  69,  70. 
Rising  hour,  9. 
Risks,  143,  144. 

Rules  for  guidance  in  case  of  fire,  sum- 
mary, 175,  176. 

Safety,  in  industrial  establishments.  137- 
142; 

on  way  to  work,  136,  137. 
Saliva,  43,  51. 

Sanitary  regulations,  198,  199. 
Scene,  change  of,  118,  119. 
Seats  for  employees,  199. 
Sedentary  occupations,  94,  131,  132. 
"Shakes,"  160. 
Shallow  breathing,  23. 
Shoes,  5,  23,  25,  34,  35,  37,  132. 
Sitting,  proper  posture  for.  94,  132. 
Skin  affections,  134,  135. 
Sleep,  9,  10,  25—28,  114,  209. 
Smoking,  50-61. 
Spitting,  85,  198. 
Sports,  outdoor  and  indoor,  105,  106 ; 

value  of,  105. 
Sprains,  188. 


INDEX 


231 


Stairways,  factory,  201. 

Starch  and  sugar  foods,  see  Carbohy- 
drates. 

State  fire  marshal.  172,  202. 

State  laws,  67,  68,  195-197,  199-202. 

Stimulants,  harmful  effects  of.  53,  54. 

Stomach,  effects  of  cigarettes  on,  59. 

Study,  courses,  in, '112-114. 

Summer  and  winter,  suggestions  for, 
summary,  212. 

Sunstroke,  183,  184. 

Systematic  habits  of  living,  9. 

Teeth,  13,  21,  22,  28. 
Theatricals,  amateur,  107. 
Throat,  injurious  effects  of  cigarettes  on, 
59; 

troubles,  134. 
Tobacco,  6,  98; 

and  success,  60,  61 ; 

as  poison,  58,  59  ; 

its  effects  upon  the    growing    boy, 
59-6i; 

points  to  be  remembered  in  connec- 
tion with,  61,  62. 
"Tobacco  heart,"  60. 
Towels,  82,  83. 
Trades  prohibited  to  women  and  manors, 

194,  195- 
Trips,  118-120; 

about  New  York  City,  120,  121. 
Tuberculosis,  55,  93,  129,  132,  213-221 ; 

bacillus  of,  214; 

dried  sputum,  cause  of,  85  ; 

extent  of,  216; 

fresh  air  in,  218,  219; 

germ,  214-216; 

how  to  help  it,  summary,  221 ; 

how  to  prevent  it,  218,  219; 

how  we  get  it,  216-218; 

medicine  in,  219,  220; 

symptoms  of,  216; 

treatment  of,  75,  220,  221 ; 

what  it  is,  213-216. 
Typhoid,  55,  81. 

Underclothes,  38. 

Vacation,  116-118,  121,  122-124. 
Varicose  veins,  37. 


Vegetables,  45,  48,  52. 
Ventilation,  26,  73,  198; 
system  of,  75-77,  161. 

Walking,  15,  16,  67,  103,  104,  109,  118, 

119. 

Wash  rooms,  ;86,  87,  199. 
Waste,  disposal  of,  83,  84. 
Waste  matter,  90-92 ; 

removal  of,  90,  91. 
Water,  46,  80-82,  88,  199,  208,  210. 
Water-closets,  86,  87,  109. 
Weather,  cold,  204; 

hot,  208,  209. 
Wheels,  bursting,  cause  of  accidents,  146, 

147. 

White  lead,  153,  155. 
Window  board,  77. 
Window  cleaning,  148. 
Window  tent,  26,  218. 
Windows,  78,  79. 
Women  workers,  clothes  for,  31,  32; 

provisions  for,  191-193; 

trades  prohibited  to,  194,  195. 
Work,  91 ; 

capacity  for,  89,  90,  95 ; 

effects  of  too  much,  116 ; 

necessity  of,  89 ; 

night,  96,  97 ; 

physical    condition    in    relation    to, 
i35; 

posture  at,  24,  93-95 ; 

preparation  for,  i,  2. 
Work  clothes,  20-33,  38. 
Workers'  rights,  202,  203. 
Workers,  suggestions  for,  166. 
Working,  conditions,  97,  98; 

day,  95,  96,  195-197- 
Workroom,  proper  conditions  of,  73  ; 

rules  for,  summary,  87,  88 ; 

space  in,  73. 

Workshop,  poisonous  conditions  in,  153. 
Worry,  98,  100. 
Wounds,  177,  187,  188. 

Young    Men's    Christian     Association, 

109. 
Young  Women's  Christian  Association, 

109. 


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UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


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STATS  NORMAL  SCHOOL 


